Speaker rules Graffitti activists breached parliamentary privilege with budget protest

Graffitti activists breached parliamentary privilege when they disrupted Clyde Caruana’s budget speech on Monday after mounting a protest inside the chamber, the Speaker has ruled.

Anġlu Farrugia told MPs on Tuesday that with immediate effect, people following parliamentary sessions from the Strangers’ Gallery will have to leave their bags and mobile phones outside.

“Apart from passing through the scanning machine and registering with reception [as is the case today], with immediate effect visitors will also have to deposit their bags and mobile phones with reception and these will be handed over upon exit,” Farrugia said, taking a leaf from the security rules adopted in the British House of Commons.

Several Graffitti activists present in the Strangers’ Gallery during the budget speech unfurled a banner decrying the ‘rule’ of speculators and called out MPs for playing to their tune.

The protest came in the wake of Cabinet’s decision to kick off a partial review of the local plan for the Villa Rosa site in St George’s Bay, where developer Anton Camilleri wants to build two high rise towers.

Caruana had to stop his speech while parliamentary ushers ejected the protestors.

The Speaker ruled that the protestors showed a lack of respect to the country’s highest institution in breach of parliamentary rules. Farrugia referred the case to parliament’s Privileges Committee for further action, insisting this was without prejudice to any action other authorities may take.

Opposition Whip Robert Cutajar and government Whip Naomi Cachia expressed solidarity with the parliamentary ushers.