Stolen French Crown Jewels Spotlight the Empire’s Shadow Over Western Museums

The recent brazen theft of France's crown jewels from the Louvre is more than a tale of criminal loss — it is a stark reminder of the complex legacy behind many Western museum collections. These dazzling gems, while French in name and craftsmanship, travel through a shadowy history rooted in colonial extraction, imperial power, and exploitation that France and other global powers have yet to fully confront. Police investigations continue amid fears that these irreplaceable symbols might be forever lost, broken down for their raw materials or sold off quietly. But beyond law enforcement lies an uncomfortable truth: these jewels...