Several high-profile pavilions at the Venice Biennale were closed on Friday after artists joined a pro-Palestinian strike protesting Israel's continued participation in the exhibition. Austria, Belgium, Egypt, Japan, the Netherlands and South Korea were among the countries affected, with some pavilions displaying signs reading 'We stand with Palestine.' Britain’s pavilion was also closed due to a separate strike by Italian cultural workers, while the main exhibition remained open.

The closures mark the latest controversy at this year’s event, which has been overshadowed by political tensions surrounding Israel’s military campaign in Gaza and Russia’s return to the exhibition. The Biennale’s jury previously announced it would not award prizes to artists from countries whose leaders are under investigation for war crimes, a move that excluded both Israel and Russia and led to the jury’s resignation after accusations of discrimination.

Protests have continued throughout the preview period, including demonstrations led by the Russian activist group Pussy Riot and daily actions by artists honoring Palestinian cultural figures affected by the war. The exhibition is scheduled to open to the public on Saturday and run through Nov. 22.