The Occupy Justice group and the Planning Authority argued today after billboards related to the murder of Daphne Caruana Galizia were removed them after a few hours.

The group insisted it would not be shut up as its members unfurled the same banners in front of the Auberge de Castille.

The billboards calling for justice were controversially removed on Friday night.

Marking four months since the assassination of Daphne Caruana Galizia, the banners read: read "A journalist killed. No Justice", "A country robbed. No Justice", and "No resignations. No Justice" 

Officials said they had not broken any laws when they rented licensed billboard space for their messages.

"All contracts were signed, all invoices and taxes were paid, and they were guaranteed that all billboards had the necessary permits," the officials said, and yet the Planning Authority had promptly removed them, when it failed to act against illegal billboards for months.

The removal of the billboards showed contempt for the right to expression and to protest. 

Read: Caruana Galizia billboards removed, sparking protests of 'vile act of suppression'

They said that four months since Ms Caruana Galizia's murder, nothing had changed. 

The prime minister, they said, was showing support for a culture of impunity, but they would not be intimidated.

Borrowing famous lines by Winston Churchill, the official said: "we shall defend our island whatever the cost will be, we shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall never surrender."

The banners were rolled up after the event. 

The event was attended by several Nationalist MPs, including Mario de Marco, Beppe Fenech Adami, Jason Azzopardi and Karol Aquilina but the organisers insisted they did not represent any political party. 

PA: BILLBOARDS WERE ILLEGAL

The Planning Authority insisted in a statement a few hours after the protest that all billboards removed on Friday evening were illegal, and it was not just those of Occupy Justice which were taken away.

It said the owners were served with a notice for removal months ago. Others were served with a notice on Friday and will be removed should the owners of the illegal structures not remove them in adequate time.

The Authority said its action which is still ongoing is being done in collaboration with Enemalta. A number of billboards were found to be stealing electricity to light up the billboards.

"The Planning Authority reiterates that there were more illegal billboards removed on the night which had also been served with a notice before the messages placed by Occupy Justice, the PA said. 

"The Planning Authority will continue taking action on illegal structures to uphold the existing laws which regulate Billboards and Advertisements," it said.

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