Last night I couldn’t sleep. I kept on seeing the image of the Graffitti activist being pinned down in a throttlehold, his face red and panic-stricken.

With this aggression against the Graffitti activists Malta has hit a new low in its life as an EU State. I have watched the video several times over, and it was obvious that though noisy, Graffitti posed no danger.

So, why were the police RIU called in?

I have attended countless protests over the last 13 years; by virtue of their numbers, most were potentially more dangerous than this one.  

Yet, there was never any police aggression. On the contrary, the police were always extremely respectful, aware that environmentalists are a peaceful lot.

In fact, this mess should not be placed at the door of the regular police force – a fine but important distinction. It was the members of the Rapid Intervention Unit that behaved like thugs, when, as an elite unit, the public has every right to expect them to behave with discipline and restraint.

I’m sure that many policemen are dismayed that their name has been blackened unfairly, as in fact, policemen can be seen in the infamous video, restraining members of the RIU and shouting “Tużawx forza, tużawx forza!” (don’t use force). It was a non-violent protest.

Graffitti’s action was limited to making noise and sitting down when told to leave – not a crime in any law book. In any civilised country policemen would have lifted each person from under their arms and legs and carried them out, end of story. This was not a violent mob, most of them were lightly-built young women and none of the activists posed a threat in any way.

So, why was the RIU sent in, in combat gear carrying guns and itching for a fight? Why did they respond with a level of aggression so disproportionate to the situation, dragging the youths, half-throttling one protester and kneeling on another’s head? 

Even if the RIU officers were not expressly called in by Castille, their behaviour reflects the sense of impunity and tolerance of arrogant abuse that this government has conveyed

Watching the different videos one sees the RIU men venting such personal anger towards the activists that one can only conclude that they detest hippy types, detest their environmental beliefs or the fact that they are opposing the present government. Probably a mix of all three.

The Graffitti activists showed great restraint in making no attempt to fight back.

Graffitti’s noisy protest is better understood when one realises that it was intended to draw attention to the hugely damaging fuel station policy which has permitted four petrol stations complete with car washes, sprayers, panel beaters, sales outlets etc, to be approved on ODZ land in the past months.

Graffitti is acutely aware that 11 other applications for petrol stations are being processed, to gobble up a total of agricultural land equal to seven times the Floriana Granaries. All attempts to reason with the Planning Authority and lobby for the revocation of this policy through normal means have failed.

Nine months after a promised review of this hugely damaging policy, it is still in place, unreformed.

The most that Graffitti can be accused of is breach of the peace. The police aggression is even more riling when one considers that when developers break actual laws, no action is taken. Illegal and dangerous demolitions, abusive construction practices, overloaded construction vehicles and blocking of pavements all put lives in danger, yet when re-ported to the police, they fail to take action and very often defend the abusive developers.  

No wonder Times of Malta.com’s Herman Grech asked: “Why don’t you drag out the bullies instead?” We hope that the judicial enquiry will discover who sent for the RIU. 

The Prime Minister has expressed his dismay at the police’s handling of the episode, as well he should, as this reflects very poorly on Malta when he can least afford it. Even if the RIU officers were not expressly called in by Castille, their behaviour reflects the sense of impunity and tolerance of arrogant abuse that this government has conveyed.

Instead Graffitti replied with a restrained and balanced press release, acknowledging that the (regular) police were only doing their duty and requesting that this incident does not distract attention away from the main focus, the urgent need to revoke the fuel station policy.

These youths with their dreadlocks and drums have a lot to teach us about civility, pacifism and values, especially the value of human health. Politicians of both main parties have a lot to learn from them.

Astrid Vella is coordinator, Flimkien għal Ambjent Aħjar.

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