Resignation of British Museum Director over stolen antiques

author: FutureCar Staff    

The director of the British Museum in London, Hartwig Fischer, has resigned from his post after admitting to failing in his investigation into the theft of items from the museum's collection, according to Aljazeera. The museum was alerted more than two years ago to the possible theft or disappearance of valuable artifacts when an art historian became suspicious about objects for sale online.

Last week, the museum announced that a member of staff had been dismissed after items including gold jewelry and gems dating from the 15th century BC to the 19th century AD were found stolen from a storeroom. Fischer, who had been leading the museum since 2016, acknowledged that there could have been a better response to the warnings and took responsibility for the failings. He stated, "It is evident that the British Museum did not respond as comprehensively as it should have. The responsibility for that failure must ultimately rest with the director."

Aljazeera reported that the police had interviewed, but not charged, an unnamed man in connection with the case. Initially, the British Museum stated that Fischer would step down "with immediate effect," but later revised the statement to say that he would resign once an interim leader had been found. Fischer also retracted remarks he made about an art dealer who first alerted the museum to the stolen items, expressing "sincere regret" over his "misjudged" comments.

In addition to the theft controversy, the British Museum has faced criticism for its refusal to return items of historical significance that were acquired or stolen during the era of the British Empire and Britain's colonial rule. Disputes over items such as marble carvings from the Parthenon in Greece and the Benin bronzes from West Africa have drawn international attention and sparked debates about the ethics of cultural heritage preservation.

FutureCar Staff