An exhibition confronting some of Britain’s most polarizing political debates has been shut down in London after a series of escalating vandal attacks that organizers said was intended to silence its message of inclusivity.

“Window Wonderland 2025,” a public-facing exhibition mounted by the Bomb Factory Art Foundation, was targeted over three nights at its Marylebone and Holborn locations, resulting in smashed windows, defaced displays, and roughly $20,000 in damage. The show, which explored themes such as anti-war activism, immigration, and queer and trans identity, has closed early amid safety concerns and a police investigation. The attacks come amid heightened tensions in the U.K. around immigration, national identity, and culture, with far-right demonstrations becoming more visible over the past year.

Bomb Factory’s director Pallas Citroen said the installation was intended as an “ironic and political response to the festive window displays of high-end retail spaces.”

A display of Daniel Lismore’s The Patriot at London’s Bomb Factory Foundation was vandalized with the words “Free U.K.” written in lipstick. Photo: Pallas Citroen.

The installation, which opened on December 9 and was due to close on January 18, was shut down early on January 9 after being targeted by vandals over three consecutive nights. The attacks intensified from spitting at the glass to the use of hammers and eventually an ice axe to break the windows.

Behind one pane that was destroyed was a work featuring the Palestinian flag addressing the deaths of children in Gaza by artist Paul Kennard. Behind another damaged window was a painting about free speech by the Iran-born, Muslim artist Fa Razavi. The works themselves were not damaged.

Elsewhere, stickers featuring the U.K.’s Union Jack flag and England’s St. George’s cross flag were stuck over the display windows, with the words “Free U.K.” also written in orange lipstick.

“We stand for inclusion, equality, and diversity, and we will not be bowed by a small number of extremists,” said Citroen. “The attack makes the context of the show real and more urgent than ever.”

The acts of vandalism are currently being investigated by the police, who are reviewing CCTV footage, according to a press release issued by the exhibition’s organizers. The total damage to the Bomb Factory’s two sites has been estimated at £15,000 ($20,000).

A sticker featuring the U.K.’s Union Jack flag is stuck over the glass front of a display containing Who Do You Support, an installation addressing politically divisive topics like Brexit, war, gender identity, and veganism by WOTW. Photo: Pallas Citroen.

“This was not random. This was intimidation,” said Daniel Lismore, a well-known London performance artist, fashion designer, and queer activist who organized the installation. Lismore, who refers to himself as a “living sculpture” for his opulent and architectural outfits, also had works included in the display, including a series of small figurines titled “The Patriot,” each bearing his likeness and holding miniature St. George’s flags inscribed with phrases like “Brexit Broke Britain” and “Refugees Welcome.”

“I believe this is a personal attack,” he said, also claiming that he has been harassed online by supporters of the right-wing populist party Reform U.K. and the far-right English Defence League (EDL). Lismore has pledged to give an artwork worth £10,000 ($13,500) to anyone who comes forward to name a suspect who is later convicted of vandalizing the display.

Last year saw the largest far-right rally in British history when up to 150,000 protestors took to the streets of London to join a march organized by EDL leader Tommy Robinson. The significance of the St George’s flag, meanwhile, became a subject of public debate due to “Operation Raise the Colours,” a nationwide campaign “to cover Britain in flags.” The flag has a history of being claimed by far-right extremists.