A protest demonstration has been announced for Monday, 22 December, outside the Deputy Ministry of Culture in Strovolos, following the explosive attack on the home of Cypriot visual artist Giorgos Gavriel.

The mobilization is being organized by the Alliance Against the Far Right, Fascism and Racism, which is calling for a mass, peaceful gathering at 17:00, condemning both the attack itself and the broader climate that, it argues, enabled such violence.

According to the Alliance, the attack was not an isolated incident but rather “the outcome of a climate of targeting, hatred and the fascisization of public discourse.” In its statement, the organization directly links the incident to what it describes as the instrumentalization of art and freedom of expression by political and media circles, warning that such practices create fertile ground for violence.

The Alliance stressed that while criticism of artistic expression is entirely legitimate in a democratic society, intimidation, threats and physical attacks cannot be tolerated. It underlined that the democratic and progressive forces of Cyprus condemn the attack unequivocally and are responding with a call for a collective, peaceful stance against fascism.

One of the key messages highlighted in the call to protest is that “art that does not disturb is merely decoration,” reinforcing the position that provocative or critical art must be protected rather than silenced through fear.

The incident has also drawn strong reactions beyond the Greek Cypriot community. The president of the Turkish Cypriot Union of Artists and Writers (KSYB), Tamer Öncul, issued a message of solidarity to Gavriel, condemning attacks against art and free thought.

In a written statement, Öncul expressed concern over the growing normalization of hate rhetoric targeting artists, noting that Gavriel had been singled out due to the sarcastic and critical nature of his work toward institutions and nationalist circles—a stance that has made him a target in the past as well.

Describing the attack as “an assault not only on artistic freedom but on human expression itself,” Öncul emphasized that such acts undermine compassion, dialogue and coexistence in Cypriot society.