ELAM President Christos Christou has formally requested the Cypriot Police Chief to investigate and, if warranted, pursue criminal charges against visual artist George Gavriel. In a letter, Christou cited alleged violations of Articles 141 and 142 of the Criminal Code, claiming that Gavriel’s actions constituted “intent to offend the religious feelings of believers and publicly insult the Christian Orthodox Faith.”
Christou described Gavriel as “a widely known individual whose identity and whereabouts are easily accessible to the authorities” and urged the police to act “with due seriousness and urgency,” noting that the alleged actions “brutally violate the religious feelings of Greek Cypriots and threaten public order and mutual respect.” He also offered to provide testimony in person if required.
The request follows public backlash against Gavriel’s exhibition “Antisystemic Art” at the Blue Iris Gallery in Paphos. The show, which opened on Saturday, was disrupted when three unidentified individuals removed several artworks, claiming they were “provocative.” Police intervened, and the exhibition continued under a security presence.
Fake news
The controversy intensified after a video by a young ELAM parliamentary candidate criticised Gavriel, leading to death threats against the gallery owner. Separately, Deputy President of DISY, Efthymios Diplaros, posted a collage of Gavriel’s works on social media, which was widely shared and described as “fake news,” as it combined multiple works rather than depicting a single painting.
Responding to the reactions, Gavriel told politis.com.cy: “As artists, we want to express our era. I use religious symbols to raise awareness, not to provoke. I present Christ as an ordinary citizen, in everyday situations, to show that we must respect each person individually, whether an immigrant or a member of the LGBTQ+ community. We are Christians and should not hate our fellow human beings.”
This article was originally published on the Greek-language Politis website.