Protests against Russia and Israel at Venice Biennale
發佈日期: 2026-05-07 21:18
TVB News
The Venice Biennale has previewed its 61st and most chaotic edition ever, just days after the unprecedented resignation of its jury over the participation of Israel and Russia, which undermined the very structure of the world's oldest contemporary art exhibition.
Femen and Pussy Riot protesters in pink balaclavas with a cross on the back approaching the Russian Pavilion at the Venice Biennale. They yell anti-Russian slogans some yelling "Russia's art is blood," and others yelling, "Disobey.'The anti-Putin feminist groups covered their faces with their balaclavas before rushing the venue in the Giardini exhibition area.
Some protesters hold pink flares that let off pink smoke into the air. Some holding blue and yellow smoke flares, the Ukrainian flag colours.
Italian police blocked the entrance to the site as the protest effectively blockaded Russia's pavilion for about half an hour.
Founding member of Russian punk band Pussy Riot said "Russia wages hybrid war. It is not just tanks and drones, murders and rapes, unique thing, but also it is culture, arts, language, so-called soft power, things that seemingly for some people are not important or not political. But unfortunately for Russia it's clear that it's a part of their military strategy,and that's the way they try to conquer the West, and you guys just opened the doors to them. That's fine."
Russia's participation in the first Biennale since the 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine has cost the contemporary art fair two million euros in European Union funding.
The jury that awards the prestigious Golden Lion prizes resigned last week in protest over the participation of Russia and Israel.
It had said it would not award prizes to countries under investigation for human rights abuses by the International Criminal Court, effectively isolating Russia and Israel.
