Politicians had got the message that over-development was unacceptable, but more demonstrations were needed, Moviment Graffitti said yesterday.

The NGO organised an impromptu demonstration in Castille Square over the weekend, erecting several tents in part of the public space in front of the Office of the Prime Minister.

Closing off the demonstration, NGO spokesman Robert Louis Fenech yesterday said the demonstration had mostly been organised to raise public awareness about development in green spaces.

The demonstrators called on the government to scrap plans for a private university campus to be built on land outside of the development zone in Żonqor Point. Other contentious planning decisions were also flagged as being “unacceptable”.

It worked. We had a good response and did some excellent networking

They also called on the motor racing track initiative to be abandoned, since it too would be taking up more ODZ land.

The demonstration, which was a local version of the global Occupy movement, was also aimed at raising awareness over social and economic inequality.

Dozens of activists, some with young children, huddled around the makeshift campsite which they named Kamp Emerġenza Ambjent.

Mr Fenech said the event was also partly meant as a networking activity among activists.

“It worked. We had a good response and did some excellent networking,” Mr Fenech said.

Asked what future events the NGO had planned, he was coy, saying only that other demonstrations were in the pipeline.