A museum in Germany, which displays an exhibition on colonialism, asked white people to restrict their visits to a small section of its exhibition on Saturdays and for a few hours with the intention of reserving a dedicated space for non-white people. whites, but the measure received criticism for considering it “exclusionary” and a form of “anti-white racism.”
The measure by the Zeche Zollern museum in Dortmund was taken within the framework of the exhibition This is colonialism, and it is not a “ban” but a “request”, as the institution defines it, as cited by the newspaper Der Spiegel .
In this sense, the initiative does not propose to “discriminate” but rather to “reserve” a safe space of reflection for non-whites precisely in an exhibition that seeks to question racism in everyday life.
“For people who have experienced racism, the This is Colonial exhibition project at the Zeche Zollern museum in Dortmund should be a very special place.
Finally, here we discuss how to address colonial history in everyday life. So that you can visit the workshop calmly and among yourselves, the museum has established a special schedule for you (Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.),” the organization maintains and insists that it is four out of a total of 48 hours per week.
However, for several days the museum has been facing comments on social networks that accuse it of “racism against whites” and consider the decision as discriminatory.
Faced with criticism, the museum indicated that they will not enter into an exchange with people who only want to spread hatred and a spokesperson for the Westfalia-Lippe Regional Association (LWL), to which the museum belongs, He again explained that the measure seeks to “give people affected by racism a protected space in which they can retreat and openly exchange ideas.”
Barbara Rüschoff-Parzinger, head of culture at the museum, told the same German newspaper: “People who suffer racism in our country do so seven days a week.
We, on the other hand, ask for greater consideration for four hours a week respecting this protected space.
You can’t really compare that.
“We just want the right to test the concept of protected space as part of our workshop on the topic of colonialism.”
Regarding the proposal to restrict access for four hours, he said:
“As a rule, our visitors react with understanding.
“Anyone who wishes to visit our workshop at this time despite this request will not be prevented from doing so,” he said.
The museum plans to seek legal advice in the face of the criticism and accusations.