Democracy protestors target Tate funder Blavatnik

The arts patron Sir Leonard Blavatnik, who donated a record £50m to Tate Modern for its 2016 extension, is facing criticism for his investment in the Israeli broadcaster Channel 13.

On Sunday, the British-Israeli group WeDemocracy protested outside Tate Modern's Blavatnik Building, calling on the Ukraine-born UK billionaire to "stop the attack on the free press".

The group believes that Blavatnik, who has a majority stake in the broadcaster through his company Access Industries, is complicit in the recent appointment of former politician Yulia Shamalov-Berkovich as its Chief Executive.

Soon after Shamalov-Berkovich’s appointment, an investigative news programme known for its criticism of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's administration was cancelled.

The liberal Israeli newspaper Haaretz said in an editorial that taking the show off air was “purely a political decision, contravening all financial and journalistic logic”.

Speaking to The Guardian, WeDemocracy member, Aviel Lewis, said Blavatnik was involved in “something that is clearly taking Israeli media years back and corrupting it”.

A spokesperson for Access Industries said: “Sir Leonard Blavatnik believes in the importance of press freedom in Israel and across the world.

"He has invested a significant amount of money in Israel’s Channel 13 to safeguard its existence and secure the future of free, impartial journalism. The channel has never had a political agenda – as is the law in Israel – and he has never had editorial input.

“It is categorically not the case that Sir Leonard appointed the CEO of News. The decision as to who runs Channel 13 News is a matter for its independent board on which Sir Leonard has no role.”