Mystery Satire Ads Flood London Underground, Mocking Science Museum's Adani Partnership
Londoners commuting through the Underground were greeted with a hilarious sight this week – satirical ads plastered across the walls, taking aim at the British Science Museum's controversial partnership with coal giant Adani.
The satirical ads are a direct response to the Science Museum allowing Adani to sponsor a new gallery on climate change despite Adani being the biggest private developers of new coal in the world.
A spoof account (@IsntBlatchford) on X (Twitter) posted photos of the ads, posing as the Science Museum's director Sir Ian Blatchford. "As SMG director, I've decided now is the time for transparency at the @sciencemuseum. From today, we inform the public about our new sponsor @AdaniOnline, with honesty and integrity," a post reads.
The unusually honest Twitter thread continues, "Adani is the largest private coal producer in the world, and plans to extract over 100 million tonnes of coal from India alone, while displacing Indigenous communities and felling ancient forests. This is who we've chosen to partner with on our Energy Revolution gallery."
"Adani violates Indigenous rights in India in order to extract more coal. But they ALSO violate Indigenous rights in Australia through the proposed Carmicheal Coal Mine, destroying ancestral lands and sacred sites."
The ads also take aim at Adani's business dealings with genocidal regimes.
One ad states, "Our energy revolution runs on firepower."
This is referring to Adani Group expanding its business to drone and weapons manufacturing with Israeli weapons manufacturers and for the Israel Defense Forces being used in the genocide of the Palestinian people.
"Adani also manufactures weapons used in the genocide of the Palestinian people, AND is connected to genocide in Myanmar. A truly global company," says another post, referring to Adani's ongoing business dealings with the Myanmar military that have contributed to genocide and crimes against humanity.
The irony of promoting an "Energy Revolution" gallery sponsored by a coal giant has already proved too much for many - sparking outrage among climate and human rights advocates, teachers, scientists and staff. The Museum and its directors have faced protests, several high profile resignations and a stern dressing down from Greta Thunberg. One thing is clear: the backlash against the Science Museum's partnership with Adani is only just beginning and will continue to grow until the Museum drops their toxic sponsor.