A number of migrants and activists took to the streets of Valletta this weekend to protest against racism, discrimination and violence against minorities in Malta.
A number of locals NGOs came together to support the protest organised by Black Lives Matter, with Moviment Graffitti, aditus, Integra and MGRM in attendance amongst others.
Migrants make up 26.5% of Malta’s labour force, with refugees and asylum-seekers in Malta contributing to a considerable chunk of the local economy. Despite this, immigrants face abuse on a daily basis, with stories of racial violence and discourse becoming a mainstay in local media.
Taking to social media after the event, activist group Moviment Graffitti called for respect towards migrants in Malta, stating “there’s no us without them.”
The group stated that despite the Government’s commitment to build a ‘cosmopolitan Malta’, all the public has received is “half-baked political statements, insulting platitudes, ongoing dehumanisation of black and brown people in discourse, policy, and practice, and an apparent total disregard for their wellbeing.”
What lies ahead for Malta?
