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A crowd of demonstrators rallied exterior Tate Fashionable in London yesterday (21 July), protesting towards the humanities philanthropist Len Blavatnik. The activist group referred to as WeDemocracy says it’s “calling on Blavatnik to cease the assault on the free press”, following workers and programming adjustments at Channel 13, an Israeli broadcaster owned by the Ukraine-born billionaire.
In a movie posted on the group’s Instagram feed, the activists chant, “Blavatnik, don’t mess with freedom of the press!” exterior the Blavatnik constructing at Tate Fashionable. The constructing opened in 2016 after the businessman gave £50m in direction of the brand new area.
Among the demonstrators, who put on masks displaying Blavatnik’s face, are seen pulling a girl’s arms with strings. An accompanying caption reads: “Blavatnik, cease it. The press will not be your puppet.” WeDemocracy describes itself as an Israeli-British democracy protest motion.
Blavatnik is the principle shareholder in Channel 13 (Reshet Media) by way of his enterprise, Entry Industries. The channel’s determination to nominate the previous politician Yulia Shamalov-Berkovich as its chief govt final month sparked controversy, in line with The Guardian. Her arrival was reportedly adopted by the cancellation of a well-liked investigative information programme, which regularly centered on a sequence of controversies involving the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Channel 13 was contacted for remark.
Blavatnik was additionally contacted for remark, however had not responded on the time of writing. A spokesperson for Entry Industries advised The Guardian: “Sir Leonard Blavatnik believes within the significance of press freedom in Israel and internationally. He has invested a big sum of money in Israel’s Channel 13 to safeguard its existence and safe the way forward for free, neutral journalism. The channel has by no means had a political agenda—as is the legislation in Israel—and he has by no means had editorial enter.
“It’s categorically not the case that Sir Leonard appointed the CEO of Information. The choice as to who runs Channel 13 Information is a matter for its impartial board on which Sir Leonard has no position. Freedom of expression and knowledgeable debate are core values of the channel, and this may all the time stay the case.”
Blavatnik has sponsored a plethora of artwork initiatives and establishments within the UK, together with the Courtauld Gallery in London (£10m; Blavatnik High-quality Rooms). The Nationwide Portrait Gallery in London additionally just lately accepted a £10m reward in direction of its Inspiring Folks challenge from the inspiration established by Blavatnik.
Within the Sunday Occasions Wealthy Listing printed earlier this yr, the highest-ranking artwork world particular person was Blavatnik at quantity two, with an estimated fortune of £29.246bn derived from funding, music and media. Blavatnik’s wealth has continued to extend lately; in 2023 he was price £28.625bn and was at quantity three on the Sunday Occasions’ listing. Crucially he made his fortune within the aluminium and oil enterprise within the Nineteen Nineties.
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