Banners promoting Queer Wave, a LGBTQIA+ film festival, have been vandalised in the Kaimakli area of Nicosia, the organisers said in a social media post.
Queer Wave described the incident as “an attack on queer visibility in public space”, arguing that it should not be viewed as an isolated act but as an attempt to restrict the presence and visibility of the queer community in public spaces.
“In Nicosia, our visibility was attacked,” the organisers said, adding that the incident underscored what they see as the need for queer spaces and cultural events.
Queer Wave said the vandalism would not stop its work.
“We will not let intimidation silence us. We will continue to claim space, tell our stories and build our community,” the organisers said.
The festival, first held in 2020, returns for its seventh consecutive year from 18 to 27 September at the NiMAC exhibition spaces in Nicosia.
Its 10-day programme will include film screenings, performances and other events featuring work by local and international filmmakers and artists, with a focus on LGBTQIA+ experiences and queer expression.
Queer Wave 2026 is organised by the non-profit company Queer Wave LTD and is funded by the Deputy Ministry of Culture and the Department of Contemporary Culture.
