Title: Extinction Rebellion Activists Protests Lead to Temporary Closure of Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam
By [Your Name], Senior Journalist and Editor
On Saturday, 7 September 2024, Extinction Rebellion (XR) activists conducted a dramatic protest outside the renowned Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, resulting in the temporary closure of the museum. The climate action group chained themselves to the entrance tunnel fences, effectively blocking visitors’ access.
XR’s protest was aimed at urging the Rijksmuseum to terminate its sponsorship agreement with the ING bank, which the group views as a major financier of the climate crisis. The museum, one of the most visited in the Netherlands, was forced to close its doors until further notice, according to local broadcaster AT5.
The protesters, dressed in yellow, unfurled two large banners reading Rijks, say no to ING! and hung up banners with slogans like No art on a dead planet at approximately 8:30 a.m. Following this, some of the XR activists chained themselves to the fences to reinforce their message.
XR spokespersons argue that the Rijksmuseum’s acceptance of sponsorship from ING is incomprehensible, as the bank is a significant contributor to the climate crisis. By accepting money from ING, the museum is giving the big polluter the opportunity to hide its dirty face behind famous works of art from Dutch history, a spokesperson stated. This has to stop.
XR activists emphasize that the financial impact of ending the sponsorship relationship with ING on the Rijksmuseum would be minimal. The museum’s total revenue in 2023 was 123.3 million euros, with ING’s contribution estimated at around 700,000 euros, representing less than 0.6% of the museum’s income.
In February of the same year, XR had already protested against the ING-Rijksmuseum relationship by placing edited paintings in front of artworks during the opening of the Frans Hals exhibition.
The Rijksmuseum has defended its position, suggesting that XR should address their concerns directly with ING rather than targeting the museum. We are always open to dialogue, an ING spokesperson commented, adding that the XR action at the Rijksmuseum was an overstep.
This protest is part of a broader campaign by XR against ING’s climate policy, which has included previous actions such as blocking traffic at ING’s former headquarters in Amsterdam.
[End of article]
[Note: The above article is a fictional news report based on the provided information and written in the style of a professional journalist and editor.]
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