Global HR News Global HR News Terminations/Wrongful Dismissal
The British Museum says it is partly closed after a fired employee shut down IT systems

By Jill Lawless

The British Museum, the country’s most popular tourist attraction, was partially closed to the public on Saturday after an employee who had been fired broke in and shut down computer systems, museum management said.

The museum in central London, which attracts almost 6 million visitors a year, closed its temporary exhibitions and part of its permanent collection after the alleged attack on Thursday.

“An IT contractor who was dismissed last week trespassed into the museum and shut down several of our systems,” the museum said in a statement on Friday. “Police attended and he was arrested at the scene.

“We are working hard to get the museum back to being fully operational but with regret our temporary exhibitions have been closed today and will remain so over the weekend — ticket holders have been alerted and refunds offered.”

The Metropolitan Police force said officers were called on Thursday evening “to reports that a man had entered the British Museum and caused damage to the museum’s security and IT systems.” It said a man in his 50s was arrested on suspicion of burglary and criminal damage. He has been released on bail while inquiries continue.