New York’s Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) has apologized for preventing two Palestinian visitors from entering the institution. kefieh at the beginning of this month. In a document Hyperallergica museum spokeswoman said security staff mistakenly identified Brooklyn resident Ju-Hyun Park’s black-and-white headscarf as a banner, an item prohibited under MoMA’s prohibited items policy.
The incident happened on Saturday, March 16, before Parkea and her friend Phuong entered the museum during a routine bag check. But the couple barely made it through the MoMA entrance when security staff told them they were not allowed to bring their keffiyeh, which featured a border design of the Palestinian flag. Despite Park and Phuong’s efforts to compromise, MoMA security personnel refused to allow them into the museum.
After leaving and hiding the scarf under Phuong’s shirt, they tried to get back in and successfully passed security.
“Following a visitor’s social media post, we implemented our established process to review the facts on the spot. After gathering all available information, we determined that a kefiyeh inside a visitor’s bag was mistakenly identified as a banner when examining the bags,” a MoMA spokesperson said. Hyperallergic.
“We made a mistake and we apologize. Keffiyehs are not, and have never been, on the list of prohibited items in the Museum”, continued the spokesperson, adding that the organization has been in contact with the Parks.
In a message dated March 16 X, Park called the museum staff’s behavior “racist with racism” and demanded an explanation. The post was met with skepticism and questioning, as some users cited their own experiences of entering the museum wearing headscarves, while others theorized that the incident was the result of a pro-Palestinian rally in February that featured more than 500 protesters—many of whom wore headscarves. keffiyehs – close the atrium of the second floor of the institution.
MoMA’s website lists “banners, signs and flags” and “any other item that could endanger art or visitors” as prohibited.
