Taking to social media, Martina Farrugia revealed that when she and a few women from Occupy Justice Malta went to clear up the Daphne Caruana Galizia protest memorial after the Malta Carnival, they found it completely trashed.

‘All the plants had been trampled on, the posters ripped down and candles overturned. This wasn’t an accident. Obviously.’

‘No, this was an act of cruelty. An act of aggression, of harassment and of disrespect aimed against the memory of a woman who was assassinated in her home country 7 years ago.’

Martina said that the rubbish, broken plants, cracked pots and papers were cleared, with the area being replanted.

‘Why? Because this national monument that Malta’s citizens are so protective of deserves respect and care. Ironically, the people who destroyed the memorial were also disgracing the monument they proclaim to love so much.’

‘We did it also because the Daphne Memorial is protected at law. It’s been recognised by the Constitutional Court as a protected act of freedom of expression, an act of protest against Daphne’s murder. It’s a call for justice to be served for the assassination of a journalist.’

She wrote how even though 7 years passed, the hatred that was ‘so carefully engineered’ against Daphne remains rampant.

‘”Daphne should have her own monument”, they say. Yes, maybe one day. But until justice is served the protest site will remain, right opposite the law courts for people to remember what happens when corruption goes unchecked, reported crimes go un-investigated and when a journalist is made a scape goat and left isolated and unprotected.’

Martina urged the Prime Minister to extend his January 2020 proclamation to state that the monument should not only not be cleared by the government employees but that it should not be vandalised by the citizens either.

‘Because despite appearances, this isn’t the jungle, and might isn’t right.’

#MaltaDaily