From environmental protests to marches in favour of justice, this year saw many people take to the streets to raise their voice. While some may believe activism is on the rise in Malta, others believe it is simply the manifestation of immediate public outrage that dies down after a few days.

It cannot be denied, however, that thousands came together to raise their concerns on several issues. The ITS site development, for instance, sparked multiple protests, with hundreds taking to the street in opposition to the proposed mega project. The proposed development also saw people coming together to file an unprecedented number of objections to the Planning Authority.

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People were finally recognising the tangible impact that continuous development could have, Moviment Graffiti member Andre Callus said.

“People are finally waking up to the fact big business holds a lot of power in Malta,” he said. They had also been used to making their voices heard through their party, but now wanted to make their opinions heard themselves, he said.

The ITS development at St George’s Bay was widely opposed by both residents and NGOs. Photo: Mark Zammit Cordina

The ITS development was eventually approved, but this did not deter activists, Mr Callus added. Enough funds have been raised for an appeal to be filed with the Environment and Planning Review Tribunal against the db Group project.  Seventeen appellants, including residents, NGOs and three local councils – Pembroke, St Julian’s and Swieqi – came together to continue to oppose the development.

According to anthropologist and political commentator Ranier Fsadni, the protestors did not necessarily believe they could change the decision – but forged ahead with fighting it anyway.

“They protested to make explicit just how venal the decision is, just how badly some communities will be affected, and to show others that publicly criticising what is manifestly wrong and harmful to the common good is worth doing for its own sake,” he said.

Activists’ impact should not be solely measured by whether any tangible change is made or not, Mr Fsadni added. “In general, I believe protests and demonstrations about fundamental issues are to be measured not only in terms of whether they achieve a change in policy but also in terms of whether they foster solidarity between like-minded people, enough to keep alive the values they stand for,” he said.

It was up to the people to see that momentum would continue in 2019

With the continuous outrage, was there a risk of momentum dying out?  According to Mr Callus, there was a very real chance people would become tired or apathetic after a continuous stream of reports. There seemed to be sensory overload, and the constant stream of information on social media did not seem to help, he added.

Anthropologist Mark Anthony Falzon did not observe a rise in activism but rather a shift in mentality. New groups, including Moviment Graffiti, are now moving on towards concerns with quality of life rather than environmental conservation, he said.

Armchair critics however remain, Dr Falzon said, adding people have learned that issues are normally resolved by sitting around a table rather than taking to the streets.

People also like to avoid more worries, he said. Outrage on social media might give the impression that there is more activism, but this might be far from the truth, he argued. “There often is a lot of outrage that does not lead to anything tangible,” he said.

Many activists also end up disenchanted or roped into formal structures, he said. He also warned some might become resigned and think there was not much that could be done.

It was up to the people to see that momentum would continue in 2019, Mr Callus insisted.