Pro-Palestine protesters close British Museum over 'Gaza war BP sponsorship'

London's renowned British Museum closed its doors on Sunday after hundreds of climate and pro-Palestinian activists protested outside the building over the war on Gaza.

Hundreds of protesters took part in the demonstration, led by Energy Embargo for Palestine, in London, demanding an end the British Museum's ten-year partnership with BP.

The British energy giant has been criticised after being granted offshore exploration licences by the Israeli government to explore the Eastern Mediterranean waters, shortly after the beginning of the Gaza war.

The war on, which has killed over 32,000 Palestinians, has been seen as a genocide and an attempt by Israel to seize the territory and its resource-rich waters.

Energy Embargo for Palestine said in a statement they targeted the British Museum, one of London's most popular tourist attractions, for signing a £50 million contract with BP last year.

"Amidst Israel’s genocidal campaign, over 200 sites of cultural and historical importance in Gaza have been destroyed by Israel. Cultural institutions in Britain must end their complicity with energy companies that profit from the colonial genocide and Israel’s settler-colonial project," a spokesperson for the group said in a statement.

They said they were responding to calls from Palestinian workers to disrupt energy supplies and will continue to pressure UK energy companies to cut all ties with Israel.

The British Museum told The Guardian that it closed its doors on the advice of the Metropolitan Police.

"The British Museum respects other people’s right to express their views and allows peaceful protest on site at the museum as long as there is no risk to the collection, staff or visitors," the museum said in a statement.

Pro-Palestine protests have been held across London, with hundreds of thousands of people taking part in some of the marches.

Pro-Palestine activists have also blockaded arms manufacturers, such as Elbit, accused of making arms or components for weapons used in the war on Gaza.

The UAE energy giant ADNOC reportedly pulled out of a deal with BP earlier this month over the risks carried by the war on Gaza.