An art exhibit featuring a sculpture of a crucified Ronald McDonald has sparked violent protests, with hundreds of Christians calling for the removal of “McJesus.”
Rioters tossed a firebomb at the Haifa Museum of Art last week, and three police officers were wounded by stones that were hurled at them.
Local church leaders went to court on Monday to ask for the removal of the celebrated McDonald’s mascot and other controversial items in the exhibit, including Barbie doll renditions of a bloodied Jesus and the Virgin Mary.
Christians make up a small percentage of Israel’s Arab minority.
“We need to understand that freedom of expression is interpreted in different ways in different societies,” said Wadie Abu Nassar, an adviser to church leaders. “If this work was directed against non-Christians, the world would be turned upside down.”
Israeli Culture Minister Miri Regev also called for the removal of the “disrespectful” artwork. Regev has been accused of censorship for advocating legislation that called for national “loyalty” in art.
The exhibit, intended to denounce what is seen as a cult-like worship of capitalism, has been featured for several months, according to museum director Nissim Tal. The protests have come after photos of the exhibit have been shared heavily on social media.
“Tens of thousands of people have visited the exhibition in recent months and there’s no reason for anything to change,” Tal said, according to Haaretz. “Our role is to stand like a wall against censorship. We will not tell artists how to create or what to draw.”
The museum won’t remove the artwork, but did add a sign saying the pieces are not meant to offend.
“This is the maximum that we can do,” Tal said. “If we take the art down, the next day we’ll have politicians demanding we take other things down and we’ll end up only with colorful pictures of flowers in the museum.”
Jani Leinonen, the Finnish artist behind “McJesus,” has also asked that it be taken down. He supports the BDS movement, which “works to end international support for Israel’s oppression of Palestinians.”
With News Wire Services