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Update 2 | No police permit for anti-migration protest
The anti-migration demonstration planned for tomorrow is illegal, the police say.
13 July 2013, 12:00am
Jurgen Balzan
Jurgen Balzan
2 min read
In spite of the Prime Minister's insistence that the demonstration should not take place, the demonstrators are still urging for the protest to go on.
The demonstration against migration planned for tomorrow is illegal, the police said today.
In a statement the police warned that no permits have been issued for the demonstration being promoted on facebook.
Speaking to MaltaToday, the police confirmed that the organisers did not apply for a permit for tomorrow's protest.
A group named 'In favour of the government's fight against migration' is promoting the activity planned for Sunday morning in Valletta. A second protest is also planned for 4 August.
The police also warned against the "promotion of any illegality."
Tomorrow's protest was organised following the government's decision to consider sending back Somali migrants to Libya, hours after 102 migrants reached Malta was thwarted by the European Court of Human Rights who declared the pushback illegal.
The demonstration, intended to support Prime Minister Joseph Muscat's efforts to resolve the issue, was shot down by Muscat himself who yesterday said that it should not take place.
"This protest has neither my support, nor my government's. It should not take place," Muscat told MaltaToday.
However, in reply to Muscat's statement, the organisers insisted that they will go ahead with the demonstration.
In a message addressed to Muscat uploaded on the facebook page promoting the demonstration, the organisers wrote: "We are not going to retreat." They added that they would go ahead with their plans to "unite in favour of the pushback policy."
"The traitors of this country should retreat, those who are against the push back policy. These traitors are found in influential positions, a tiny minority of less than 10%."
Although the organisers did not say whether the demonstration planned for tomorrow will go ahead, they did call on Muscat to allow them to "demonstrate peacefully" on 4 August.
In recent days, a number of racially motivated assaults took place, including an attack on two bus drivers on Thursday evening.
Asked to comment on the incident this morning, Muscat said: "I don't have the full information on the case, but I take Arriva's word for it."
Speaking to MaltaToday he said: "Racism is condemnable and the police should take the necessary steps. Everyone should understand that racism is not tolerable and government will not tolerate any form of racism."
While reiterating his call for the anti-immigration demonstration not to take place, Muscat called for caution and warned that racist sentiments should not be fanned.
Jurgen Balzan was a MaltaToday reported from 2011 to 2017.
Emmanuel Mallia •
This would have been a pro islamic demonstration, nothing else. This is what those organizing the illegal (islamic) trips wanted to see. The Maltese people on their side ! Firstly, they are sending muslim pregnant woman on every trip so that they can start a solid local muslim community, and one fine day, they will strike, just like Al-queda. Secondly, this process is already onging. Many local garages are being given the go ahead by MEPA to be used as muslim mosques ! They are mushrooming everywhere. The latest one was opened only last week at Qawra, with the blessings of MEPA.
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Dawk li marru jipprotestaw quddiem id-depot kellhom permess? Jekk le, jien nistenna li jittieħdu passi kriminali kontrihom la kisru il-liġi. Jew dawn jistgħu, u min irid jipprotesta kontra l-imigrazzjoni illegali u l-mod ta' kif qed niġu injorati mill-Unjoni Ewropeja irid ikollu il-permess tal-pulizija għax inkella jkun akkuzat li jkun qed jikser il-liġi?
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Karl Consiglio taghkom tridu ittuh lil haddiehor. Insejthom iktar inn 200 Eritrejan mibghutin lura Minn Eddie tieghek?
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Led by scum, followed by sheep. Altogether now:
"Malta, we love Malta..."
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"I disagree with what you say, but will defend to the death your right to say it."
- Evelyn Beatrice Hall
Tony Zerafa •
@ il-Haggi 'Freedom of speech and Freedom of congregation. Have you already lost them???' No I did not, and that is why I said let them protest as I do believe that one has the right to protest, but what I said about our European friends still stands I will not budge from the truth.
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No permits were issued by the police? And? The people have a right to show their discontentment about having to sit for what the EU, the UNHCR and the other NGOs dictates to them. If these NGOs have a right to sound their opinion, then so do the people of Malta and I for one encourage that every citizen that thinks enough is enough must attend this protest. This is a way to show our discontentment about how these illegal immigrants are disrupting our way of life in this country. And for those that think that these people will not invade their towns and or cities better think twice because if you take a good look around you the North of Malta including Gozo is no exception. They will come and not to far from the near future. Make it a peaceful protest but go and protest, have your presence tell the EU and the NCHCR that enough is enough and it is time for them to put their money where their mouths are and come to the rescue of Malta and the Maltese people. Make it a peaceful protest but as a Maltese citizen you have a God given right to protest and have your voice heard, after all your livelihood and that of your children and grandchildren is being taken away. Don't let that happen..
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Did I hear those who criticised the government on the illegal immigration issue now also, to be credible, also criticise the lack of freedom of expression of not allowing a demonstration to take place? Oh I see, their first criticism was only political. Their second criticism is silence. They thus destroyed their first opinion rendering it worthless. Does one speak of own goal in this case?
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Joseph Muscat Lewwel isahhan l-irjus, imbghad irrid l-kalma!!!! Exactly like Mintoff.
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The Maltese protested in silence on the 9th March, and can show their next protest in May of next year. Surely we all know which political party is presently showing the very, very best the nation needs.So tomorrow we'll celebrate some village festa and leave the protest for next year
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@ R.Attard
Freedom of speech and Freedom of congregation. Have you already lost them???
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@Roberto Said
The honeymoon is over. When the heat is on its all the fault of the PN. We are back to the "agents provocateur" of the 80's? The ball is in the PL's court now. Play it but do not hit the net, or go outside the court. It will be a fault. The PL spent the last 10 years serving. Now its their turn to defend the serve of others. From what we learned during the past week they are not doing it shrewdly, but rather clumsily.
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I would not have taken Arriva's word for it alone. The behaviour of some of their drivers leaves much to be desired. Both sides of the story needs to be listened to before jumping to a conclusion.
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I would not have taken Arriva's word for it alone. The behaviour of some of their drivers leaves much to be desired. Both sides of the story needs to be listened to before jumping to a conclusion.
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@Roberto Said maybe the hidden pn hand was also to organise the chanting of malta taghna lkoll in the prison????
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I would not be surprised if the hidden hand of PN agents are behind all this. They are renowned for their clandestine activity masked behind any issue as long as they presume that this can put the PL government in bad light and harm its reputation. The Government should remain focused, calm and professional as it had been up to now. The PL should remain acting shrewdly, yet transparently so as not to fall for such malicious tactics.
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Reading all these 'hatered'remarks one can conclude that this is the result of our Prime Minister fomentation against illegal immigrants with dark skin!! Shame!
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An illegal protest is a 'riot' anywhere in the Union. The police commissioner can take a cue from MI5: send in 'agent provocateurs' to stage some of the events, strategically setting 'sporadic' fires, making sure a prominent building is left burning for full media symbolism.
Arukaza, the educated sheeple would say, we need stricter laws and tougher enforcement...
But this is Malta, where sanity survives despite a decade of EU madness.
The demonstration will be peaceful only as long as the police do not attempt to stop it. This is not is-Sette Gunju, l-ahwa.
Tony Zerafa •
Probably this is a mirror image of what the PN use to do back in the 80s. The important thing is that there would seem to be trouble in Malta. Let them protest, the majority of the Maltese are in favour that something serious should be done against illegal immigration, including push-backs. The Maltese, unlike our European partners, never invaded any African nation, so it is only right that any illegal immigrants should be kept by those countries who exploited the African people.
I still wonder how all the latest protestors never came up front to protest or condemn DCG vile comments.
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We do not know who the organizers are and if they are prone to violence. There is nothing to gain by demonstration on the issue of immigration because our Government is already active trying to find a solution. I suggest the organizers of this demonstration to go and protest in front of the PN HQ or the EU Embassy in Malta because they are the people who don't care bout the welfare of the Maltese nation.
Priscilla Darmenia •
Did the NGOs who organised a demonstration outside the police HQ have a permit? If not, why did the police force took no action?
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=aWjeITmDmmo
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Will the 65 Nationalist lawyers, the NGOs and the 23 Nationalist academics holler that freedom of expression is not being respected in Malta?
