Hundreds gather to honour Daphne Caruana Galizia’s memory
Hundreds gathered in Valletta yesterday evening for a silent walk honouring the memory of slain journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia.
Malta’s most controversial journalist was brutally murdered by a car bomb a month ago, on 16 October, just metres down the road from her residence in Bidnija.
The crowd walked in the rain from City Gate to the memorial set up near the Great Siege monument.
Some people were seen carrying candles, flowers and placards, which were placed at the foot of the memorial. A few umbrellas were also opened due to the rain.
Some placards read: “Her fight, my voice,” “Delayed justice won’t wear us down,” and “Change?”
Among those present were Daphne Caruana Galizia’s husband Peter and her sister Corinne Vella. Family friend Andrew Borg Cardona was also present, as was former PN leader Simon Busuttil. Yesterday, #Occupy Justice activists delivered a bay leaf plant to the Office of the Prime Minister in Valletta and left it on the steps of Castille along with a poignant message.
“Prime Minister, may this bay leaf plant remind you that we have been waiting a month for you to take action on our demands for justice,” read the placard which representatives of #Occupy Justice left with the plant.
The message went on: “He who does not want to know is a fool. He who does not do anything is a coward. He who knows and does nothing is an accomplice.”
The plant was taken up the Castille steps by #Occupy Justice representatives wearing white Tshirts printed with Daphne Carauna Galizia’s last words on her blog, ‘There are crooks everywhere you look now. The situation is desperate’.
The activists are demanding that key institutions not be held hostage by the government and for the rule of law to be upheld. “It’s already been a month since the assassination. Malta’s rule of law is in chaos. Justice must be done and must be seen to be done, and we want to tell the Prime Minister that we are not going anywhere until he takes action,” said a spokesperson.
The bay leaf is a symbolic plant being used by the activists as a symbol of strength and courage, after Daphne Caruana Galizia’s sons – Matthew, Andrew and Paul – sent the activists bay leaves from their mother’s garden by way of gratitude, when they were camping in Castille Place three weeks ago.
#Occupy Justice is asking for the immediate resignation of Police Commissioner Lawrence Cutajar and Attorney General Peter Grech, and for both positions to be replaced by persons who have the approval of twothirds of the House.
#Occupy Justice is a group of activists led by women determined to fight for what is right, for justice and for a fair and equal society.
Their motto is ‘This is our nation, this is our home, and we are the people. We expect better, we deserve better, we demand better.’
Banners with Daphne’s last words were put up in several main roads during the previous night. These included a banner placed on the Birkirkara Bypass, one on Regional Road and one in Msida.
Anti-corruption MEP Macovei to address CSN public event
In the meantime, it was yesterday announced that anti-corruption MEP Monica Macovei will be addressing a Civil Society Network public event regarding governance in Malta and the EU. Macovei is a former civil society activist and justice minister in Romania, where she was credited with a wide range of anticorruption reforms.
The event will take place tomorrow at 3.30pm at Europe House, St Paul Street, Valletta. All Maltese Members of Parliament and Members of European Parliament as well as journalists are invited to attend to ask questions to Macovei. Interested persons are to present their ID card/passport at Europe House due to security procedure. Organisations wishing to attend are to email activistsmalta@gmail.com