An exhibition of political cartoonists' work titled "Licence to Offend" has been cancelled over concerns it might cause offence.
The exhibition, organised by Whitelight Projects, was unexpectedly pulled by TownSq venue just hours before a private viewing was due to take place on Wednesday in Kingston-upon-Thames
Other notable contributors included Nicola Jennings from The Daily Mirror and The Observer, Ingram Pinn of the Financial Times, and cartoonists from Private Eye and The Spectator.
The show was due to open to the public on Thursday and run until June 13.
The TownSq venue cancelled the event
TownSq Kingston
It included satirical images of political figures such as Donald Trump and Sir Keir Starmer, as well as tech billionaires Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg.
TownSq, the co-working space hosting the exhibition, told organisers they must remove the cartoons after the private viewing due to concerns from some of its members. As word spread about this decision, the venue opted to cancel the event entirely, citing fears about staff safety.
In a statement, TownSq said its policy was to operate a "politically neutral environment. The fervour and discord around this event has been a testament as to why."
The venue added: "This was not a decision that we took lightly, and we're frustrated that it needed to be taken at all."
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Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer was one of those satirised
PA
Morten Morland, who has worked for The Times since 2002, criticised the decision as "idiotic".
"These weren't offensive cartoons. They were cartoons that had already been printed in national newspapers. I've never experienced anything like it," he said.
Morland accused TownSq of using "weasel words about not wanting to be political" to justify its actions.
"But the decision to deny freedom of expression is in itself a hugely political act," he added.
He described it as a more insidious type of censorship that "shuts down any discourse before it's even been allowed to happen under the pretext that someone somewhere might have objections".
Zoe Dorelli, the curator of the exhibition, said she was "gutted" by the decision.
"It's quite amazing that we pulled together most of the best cartoonists that are working at the moment. One should be sort of celebrating this kind of thing and not pulling it," she told The Spectator.
"The cartoonists are pretty upset about being cancelled," Dorelli added. "It's not often that they get to have actual exhibitions."
Whitelight Projects is now actively seeking a new venue for the show. The organisers are reportedly considering a number of offers from venues less concerned about potential offence.
