Updated | KSU gives Moviment Graffitti stand back, but still bans material on reproductive rights

Moviment Graffitti has been allowed back to its stand at the KSU Freshers Week on the University of Malta campus, but is not being allowed to show materials related to abortion and reproductive rights.

“Not only have student organisations been relegated to a crowded tent away from the main quad, but KSU is also policing the material provided at our stands, undermining the entire concept of the University as a safe space for debate and critical thinking,” the activist group said.  

Moviment Graffitti’s Freshers Week stand at the University of Malta was removed overnight, with the activist group claiming KSU went behind their backs and confiscated the material on display.

In a Facebook post on Wednesday, Moviment Graffitti uploaded a photo of their empty cubicle and said that KSU took down the stand overnight and confiscated all the material inside.

In an earlier statement, KSU said it took a decision not to allow any “abortion related entities” to participate in Freshers’ Week, regardless of whether their stance is pro-life or pro-choice.

“We believe this event does not provide an adequate platform for this discussion to take place with the gravitas it deserves,” the council said.

KSU said Moviment Graffitti ignored their deicision by choosing to display pro-choice content on their stand.

Pulse: KSU decision ‘an infringement on free speech’

Student organisation Pulse also issued a statement condemning KSU’s decision, describing it as “an infringement on the principles of free speech”.

“Regardless of one’s stance on the matter, it is unacceptable for any organization—especially one claiming to represent students—to stifle the voice of another. This act not only silences Moviment Graffiti but also serves as an act of intimidation against any student who intends to express an opinion at the University of Malta.”

Pulse also pointed out that the decision was enacted unilaterally by KSU. “If KSU can unilaterally suppress debate on one issue, what’s to stop it from censoring discussions on other topics in different forums?”

Żgħażagħ Laburisti: No place for censorship

The Labour Party’s youth wing – Żgħażagħ Laburisti – expressed solidarity with Moviment Graffitti and said that freedom of expression should not be stifled.

“As a youth branch, we are deeply concerned with this behaviour, which censors topics that, despite their sensitivity, should never be removed from the table of discussion,” it said.

“What has occurred at the University alarms us. Like every other educational institution, there should be a promotion of critical and free thought, as we believe these institutions should serve as laboratories of ideas and thought—not as a group of individuals deciding which subjects should be discussed or elevated.”

Women’s Lobby: KSU actions resemble ‘authoritarian censorship’

The Malta Women’s Lobby condemned KSU’s actions, describing their behaviour as “reminiscent of authoritarian censorship”.

The lobby group said the university is meant to be a space for free thought and open discussion, yet KSU is limiting the freedom to discuss critical issues like reproductive rights.

“We call on the University of Malta to reaffirm its role as a hub for diverse discussions and not allow anybody, including the student council to dictate or suppress conversations that matter to the students and the wider community.”

PEN Malta condemns KSU’s handling of the situation

Meanwhile, PEN Malta said it was troubling that KSU forcibly removed materials displayed on Moviment Graffitt’s stand, and moreover that the council justified their behaviour by saying they banned abortion-related entities from participating in the event.

“The students’ council is not justified in assuming the authority to determine when and how discussions on contentious issues should take place on a university campus, a space intended to promote the free exchange of ideas which is at the heart of the university experience,” PEN Malta said.

“The fact that members of Moviment Graffitti are still allowed to distribute their materials individually on campus underscores the inconsistency of preventing them from doing so at their stand.”

ADPD blasts "cheap censorship"

Later on Wednesday, the ADPD blasted KSU for stifling free expression and open debate. The party's chairperson, Sandra Gauci, stressed that universities should be spaces for free thought, debate, and discussion, even on divisive or sensitive issues.

According to Gauci, what KSU did was "cheap censorship" and went against the values of intellectual freedom that universities should uphold.

She further criticised KSU for acting as "morality police or inquisitors," concluding that the organisation should foster a more inclusive and open environment for dialogue.