The International Federation of Actors is appalled by the recent violent demonstration by a group of far-right activists, who disrupted the premiere of George Bernard Shaw’s acclaimed play, Arms and the Man, directed by John Malkovich at the National Theatre in Sofia, Bulgaria, on November 7, 2024. This incident is a distressing example of the increasing threat to artistic freedom in Europe and in many other countries, driven by extremist groups acting with apparent impunity and, alarmingly also, often the seeming tolerance of local authorities.
This escalation is very disturbing, posing a real threat to the health of our democratic societies. While everyone has the right to protest peacefully, aggressive actions that aim to intimidate, silence, or challenge the right to express ideas—including through art—simply because they do not align with supposed “national values” or “pride”, are unacceptable. Europe, like many regions around the world, has experienced nationalistic violence, censorship, and propaganda, leaving deep and lasting scars that have yet to heal.
FIA urges all relevant authorities to take this case seriously and conduct a thorough investigation, and stands in solidarity with our colleagues, the affected artists, audience members, and our Bulgarian affiliated union, who have all been impacted by this troubling event.
