Is taking African artwork from a European museum a political act, or a criminal one? That is the question a French court is considering this week at the trial of a Congolese activist who wants his country’s art returned. It belongs to us! shouted a Black woman watching the trial. She began to cry and then left the trial after a museum lawyer said the art belongs to the French state. The Quai Branly Museum in Paris holds thousands of artworks from former colonies in African and Asia. Many of the valuable artworks were taken by colonial officials and brought to French museums. Congo-born Emery Mwazulu Diyabanza and four other activists are facing trial for attempted stealing. They tried to remove a 19th century African funeral pole from the museum. In June, they livestreamed the act on Facebook which they said was a protest. Guards quickly stopped them. The activists argue that they never planned to steal the work. They wanted to call attention to its where it came from, they said. At the trial, however, behind every question and answer were the bigger questions. How should former colonial rulers make up for their mistakes? Who really “owns” the artworks? The questions took on new urgency after this year's international protests against racial injustice.