ANR protest fails to draw the crowds

The "intimidating" media and a poor marketing campaign were blamed for the poor turnout at an anti-immigration protest held in Valletta yesterday.

Some 200 people turned up to protest against illegal migration in a rally organised by the Republican National Alliance (ANR) in stark contrast to the thousands that answered the same call last October.

ANR chief spokesman Martin Degiorgio said that unlike the previous demonstration, his organisation had not used billboards to publicise yesterday's event.

The right wing movement used the demonstration to launch a scathing attack on the media for "twisting the facts" on immigration and working against the interests of the country.

As irregular immigration enters its peak season and resurfaces as a hot topic of discussion, the ANR insisted on the need for severe border controls and repatriation.

Contrary to October's protest, yesterday's event passed without incident as the speakers kept up their onslaught on illegal immigrants.

Shouting "Viva Malta, viva Malta, hej, hej, hej", the protestors, led by four men wearing suits and ties, marched down Republic Street, in Valletta, holding banners which read:

"Karità dejjem, suwicidju nazzjonali qatt" (Yes to charity, but no to national suicide) and "din invazjoni mhux immigrazzjoni" (this is an invasion not immigration).

As they were marching into Valletta, a sizeable group of people, pertaining to five NGOs, lined up on the street overlooking Freedom Square, silently holding A4-sized sheets of paper with messages against racism before unfurling a large banner with the words "All different, all equal, stop racism".

The police were out in force, including members of the Criminal Investigation Department.

Norman Lowell, leader of the far right movement Imperium Europa, who is facing charges of inciting racial hatred, turned up with some of his followers.

"We are doing the utmost for Malta, even though our work is hindered by the media which wants to put us in a bad light," Mr Degiorgio told those present in front of the Great Siege monument.

At the same time, Mr Degiorgio said ANR's message was getting across because even foreign journalists were interviewing him frequently.

Nobody knew of ANR nine months ago but since then the right wing group had garnered widespread support and the alliance's "enemies were starting to worry".

"How come Italy has a repatriation agreement with Libya and we don't? The European Union is taking us for a ride. Last year they gave us rice and pasta. They thought we were Ethiopians," Mr Degiorgio said.

He said illegal immigrants not only came from Africa but also from eastern European countries and he attacked the authorities for permitting "marriages of convenience".

Maltese businessmen preferred to employ foreign workers because they paid them a pittance. These were the real racists since they relied on slave labour to line their pockets instead of employing Maltese people.

One blatant example of such a racket, Mr Degiorgio claimed, was the Mater Dei Hospital which was being built by Indians and Bulgarians.

In an emotionally charged speech, ANR official Paul Salomone attacked the "Communist Maltese media" for criticising the right wing group. He laid into a number of columnists and journalists, mentioning them by name, including Fr Mark Montebello, Alternattiva Demokratika chairman Harry Vassallo and Peppi Azzopard, who was reporting the event.

Upon being mentioned by name, Mr Azzopardi offered to reply to his accusations, to which Mr Salomone said: "No, you won't reply. You're in for it (Issa tigi tieghek).

"Where is (MaltaToday editor) Saviour Balzan and his newspaper...? Let him come here so that I can wrap it around his neck," Mr Salomone told cheering listeners.

Moviment Graffitti, Indymedia, Integra Foundation, the Malta Gay Rights Movement and Third World Group later expressed concern about what they termed as the dangers of xenophobia and racism.

They said the organisers of yesterday's protest were making every effort to portray an image of moderation even if what was being conveyed was "far right propaganda".

In the NGOs' opinion, the only potential outcome of such a protest was the spreading of hatred towards immigrants and people who assisted them and who were being depicted as "enemies and traitors".

A protest against irregular migration was ridiculous because no one was in favour of such immigration, the NGOs said.