ARTICLE 19 condemns the vandalism of an art installation Window Wonderland 2025 at The Bomb Factory Art Foundation in London, which forced the closure of the exhibition. We are calling for a swift and effective investigation and prosecution of those responsible, recognising this as a freedom of expression violation aimed at silencing artists and using violence to dictate what art should be allowed to be seen. We stand in solidarity with artists Be Andr, Alison Jackson, Peter Kennard, Daniel Lismore, Fa Razavi and Wankers of the World, as well as the curator Pallas Citroen and the team at The Bomb Factory Art Foundation. No one should have to fear violence or intimidation for creating or exhibiting art.
Window Wonderland 2025, a group exhibition of immersive window installations exploring themes of migration, identity, and cultural fusion, opened on 12 December 2025 at The Bomb Factory Art Foundation‘s gallery in London’s Marylebone. Between 6-9 January, vandals attacked the exhibition, smashing windows with an ice axe, scrawling ‘FREE UK’ in orange lipstick and sticking Union flags and St George’s crosses across artworks. The damage, reportedly £15,000, forced the closure of the exhibition on 9 January 2026.
ARTICLE 19 is alarmed by these attacks, which directly violate the right to freedom of expression, protected by international and European human rights law. Artistic expression on social and political issues like migration, identity, and national belonging is explicitly protected under these standards.
Destroying and defacing the works with nationalist slogans and symbols was clearly meant to silence that expression and exclude certain viewpoints from public space. Moreover, targeting artists perceived as Muslim or those with direct connection to Palestine signals discriminatory intent.
The fact that the exhibition had to close shows the consequences of the censorship by violence. Violent or threatening acts that suppress expression create a chilling effect far beyond immediate targets. They can discourage artists and institutions from presenting work on important societal issues.
We recall that under international human rights law, the UK government has a positive obligation to take reasonable steps to protect individuals and institutions from such third-party interference with freedom of expression.
ARTICLE 19 calls on the Metropolitan Police and relevant authorities to act swiftly and effectively to establish responsibility. Reducing what happened to a case of property damage would overlook the real harm done to the artists, the organisers, and the public’s right to encounter their work.
We also urge cultural institutions, funders, and public bodies to continue backing artists whose work addresses difficult or contested issues, and to support those who are targeted for doing so.