A sizeable crowd gathered at the foot of the Great Siege Memorial on Friday evening to mark the five-month anniversary of the murder of journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia.
The vigil saw three speakers insist on the need to carry on the fight against corruption and not to allow Caruana Galizia's efforts to uncover wrongdoing to be forgotten.
The activity was organised by the Civil Society Network, #OccupyJustice and Kenniesa.
Professor Vicky Ann Cremona urged those gathered not to cave in, reminding them that the French Revolution had been started by just 600 people who would not tolerate tyranny.
READ: Banners mark five months since Caruana Galizia's murder
Prof Cremona asked those gathered what the wealth that the country seemed to be enjoying was worth if it was tainted with bad moral integrity.
Some might say that it was too soon since Ms Caruana Galizia’s brutal murder on October 16, to judge it and make clear assessments. But history, Prof Cremona said, would remember those who had stuck their necks out to stand up for what was right in the face of what was wrong.
The fired up professor asked the crowd whether the leaders of both main political parties had the right morals to lead the country, to which those gathered answered: “No!”.
Were the people getting respect from these leaders? - “No!”. And, were the leaders shouldering political responsibility in the aftermath of this tragedy? “No!”.
Lawyer Edward DeBono walked up to the microphone next, but not before bowing his head to the makeshift memorial for the slain journalist - a sign of respect that earned him applause from those gathered.
The Great Siege Memorial, he said, represented the struggle for victory against oppression. It represented perseverance, and not giving in. And today it represented Ms Caruana Galizia.
Malta, Dr DeBono said, was today under a new siege.
He made similar calls to Prof Cremona before him for political responsibility to be shouldered.
Even if “they” - a reference to the top brass of government - had nothing to do with Ms Caruana Galizia’s murder, political responsibility for her death still had to be assumed.
This had been the case in Slovakia when the Prime Minister and another member of Cabinet resigned following the assassination of a young journalist earlier this year.
Would the Maltese government allow a former communist state to teach it democratic principles?
Lastly the crowd heard from Alessandra Dee Crespo who quoted extensively from Ms Caruana Galzia’s blog Running Commentary to illustrate just how prophetic her writing was.
She read sections of her blog which detailed an island in mass hysteria. A place where leaders put on “plastic smiles” and convinced the electorate that everything was under control, that everything was going smoothy.
Although those who killed Ms Caruana Galizia believed they had silenced her, Dr Dee Crespo said, her words were louder and more relevant today than ever before.
“We are here today to show that her work and her struggle has not ended,” she said.
The vigil ended with the crowd singing the national anthem, as candle lights flickered and victory signs were raised.
MUSICAL PROTEST
The vigil at Great Siege Square was followed by an activity at Castille Square, opposite the prime minister's office called The People's Playlist.
#OccupyJustice, the women's group compiled a list of musical hits seen as conveying a protest message appropriate for the occasion.
Among the first was the Godfather theme song, with the group pointing out how it stemmed from the classic movie synonymous with the Mafia.
It was followed by other equally symbolic songs: In Questo Mondo di Ladri by Antonello Venditti; Panama by Van Halen; You’ve Got to Pick a Pocket or Two - The Artful Dodger’s signature tune from Oliver the Musical and Under Pressure by Queen.
The activity was inspired by The Prime Minister's playlist, a concert held recently by the National Orchestra.
“We are playing The People’s Playlist and whatever the Prime Minister may think, it is far from serene,” #OccupyJustice said.
The activists also projected a video onto the wall of St James’ Cavalier recounting the story of Daphne Caruana Gaizia's assassination – and asking why the Prime Minister was not listening to the people when they asked for resignations.
“We will keep on fighting to save the reputation of our country and we will not rest until justice is served,” #OccupyJustice said.
The group reiterated its call for the resignation of the Police Commissioner Lawrence Cutajar and the Attorney General Peter Grech who, it said, were irresponsibly dancing to the government’s tune, meaning that the country’s key institutions are held hostage by the government.