Documenta Faces Security Threats Amid Controversies, Ticket Sales Surge

Documenta opens this weekend in Kassel with heightened security measures following a break-in and vandalism at one venue. Vandals sprayed '187' and 'PERALTA' on interior walls on May 28, with the former referencing California's murder penal code and the latter possibly indicating Isabelle Peralta, leader of a Spanish far-right youth organization. Additional threatening stickers appeared around festival buildings bearing anti-Islam slogans. These incidents follow ongoing disputes over antisemitism allegations involving various Jewish groups and statements by Documenta contributors regarding Israeli government actions toward Palestinians. Curatorial collective Ruangrupa condemned the acts as politically motivated threats against The Question of Funding and Party Office exhibition sites, calling them attacks on all lumbung members and artists. They emphasized the need for a working atmosphere free from violence against people, places, and artworks, while expressing reliance on solidarity and friendships built within Kassel's ecosystem. Despite these controversies, public interest remains strong with 54,000 tickets already sold—significantly more than the 20,000 advance purchases at the same point before the 2017 edition. The festival has hired additional security staff in response to these incidents.