'Vile attack on Churchill' on Remembrance Sunday prompts Imperial War Museum apology
19 November 2021, 16:40 | Updated: 19 November 2021, 16:59
A spoken word performance on Remembrance Sunday, which has been described as a "vile attack" on Winston Churchill among others and "a rant about race", has prompted the Imperial War Museum to issue an apology.
The performance, which reportedly took place at the end of a two-minute Remembrance Sunday silence at the Imperial War Museum, was done by a youth music group funded by the Arts Council.
One Tripadvisor review from ‘The Savill Family’ said: "The entire event became horrendous with the inclusion of a rap which was nothing more than a vile attack on (among others) Churchill and a rant about race.
"Both are legitimate subjects for debate, but NOT on Remembrance Sunday. My wife who served in the RAF was deeply upset by such a disrespectful charade.
Read more: London school drops Churchill and JK Rowling house names in diversity drive
"We spoke to a member of the staff who was clearly as shocked as we were and said they would pass on our reactions.
"We left without viewing the exhibition. The whole episode making us question the wisdom of the organisers."
The Imperial War Museum has sent MailOnline a statement containing an apology.
It said: "For four years, we have offered a platform for the voices of 11 – 18 year olds to engage with our collections and share their perspectives on war and conflict.
"Presenting the cause, course and consequence of war from the First World War to the present day, IWM's challenging remit attracts multiple view points and opinions.
"We do, however, recognise that Remembrance Sunday at IWM London, with the meaning it holds for different people, was not the moment to share this particular iteration of Breaking the Silence.
"We apologise to anyone who attended who was offended or upset by the performance in any way."
