The Tate Gallery has stated that staff are prohibited by their dress code from wearing political badges or symbols.

The Director’s office at the Tate confirmed the gallery’s neutrality policy in an email to UK Lawyers for Israel (UKLFI), following a complaint about a staff member wearing a Palestine flag badge.

UKLFI had written to the Tate on 12 October 2025 to explain that the badge – seen being worn just three days after the second anniversary of the October 7 Hamas massacre – was likely to be a breach of the Equality Act 2010 (EA), and of the Tate’s own policy.

“The Palestine flag badge is undoubtedly a controversial political symbol,” wrote UKLFI. “Thousands of people have waved Palestine flags in the huge protests in Britain and elsewhere. It symbolises not only their promotion of the Palestinian cause, but also their opposition to and often hatred of the State of Israel, and their wish to see it obliterated.”

“This is clearly a political stand and makes me feel unwanted at Tate, which is by no means supposed to be a political organization,” a Jewish/Israeli visitor had told UKLFI, following their 10 October visit to the gallery.

The wearing of the badge likely breaches the EA by “creating an intimidating hostile and offensive atmosphere” for Jewish and Israeli visitors, who have protected characteristics according to the Act, UKLFI explained.

This is the second time that UKLFI has reported likely breaches of policy to the Tate. In February of this year, a visitor to the gallery challenged a staff member who was wearing a black and white keffiyeh headscarf, an item which is synonymous with the Palestinian cause and seen by many people as a sign of support for the Hamas terrorist organisation.

The Tate’s Head of Visitor Communications, Jayne Herringshaw, responded to UKLFI at the time, confirming that:

“Tate is a politically neutral institution and whilst we do allow staff expression of identity, for example by wearing rainbow pin badges in LGBTQIA+ solidarity or headwear for religious and cultural reasons, we are clear that Tate serves the public as a whole and therefore staff are not permitted to make overt statements of a political position while at work.”

Ms Herringshaw said that staff are regularly briefedto emphasise the importance of their politically neutral policy. “We hold strongly to the value that Tate is a place where everyone should feel welcome, and work hard in all that we do to meet this aim,” she added.

A spokesperson for UKLFI commented: “We are grateful to the Tate for confirming, even more strongly this time, that the wearing of political symbols is prohibited by staff at work, who are there to make everyone feel welcome. We trust that Tate staff will continue to be reminded of this policy of neutrality.”