ADVERTISEMENT

Shia LaBeouf's 'He Will Not Divide Us' Protest Shut Down at NYC Museum

Shia LaBeouf / Twitter
February 10, 2017

Actor Shia LaBeouf's "He Will Not Divide Us" protest against President Donald Trump has been shut down due to the potential for violence.

LaBeouf has held a protest outside of the Museum of the Moving Image in New York City, where a 24/7 webcam was set up so people could partake in the demonstration and talk to the camera.

The museum shut down the camera, though, due to the potential for violent confrontations, TMZ reported Friday, and released a statement explaining why it did so.

"The Museum of the Moving Image has closed HEWILLNOTDIVIDE.US, a participatory Internet streaming performance by LaBeouf, Rönkkö & Turner," the statement said. "The installation created a serious and ongoing public safety hazard for the Museum, its visitors, staff, local residents, and businesses."

"The installation had become a flashpoint for violence and was disrupted from its original intent," the statement continued. "While the installation began constructively, it deteriorated markedly after one of the artists was arrested on the site of the installation and ultimately necessitated this action. Over the course of the installation, there have been dozens of threats of violence and numerous arrests, such that police felt compelled to be stationed outside the installation 24 hours a day, seven days a week."

LaBeouf had planned to continue the protest, which was launched on Jan. 20, the day of Trump's inauguration, until the president left the White House.

LaBeouf himself was arrested on Jan. 25 after allegedly getting into a physical altercation outside of the museum. The New York Police Department started regularly patrolling the spot after the incident.

The camera's feed now simply reads, "THE MUSEUM HAS ABANDONED US."

The 30-year-old LaBeouf has a long history of legal problems, including other physical altercations, drunk driving, and trespassing.