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National Tuesday 21 February 2012 - 18:31

Moviment Graffitti activist charged with slander

Activist faces police charges for calling PN candidate and circus organiser Silvio Zammit ‘pulcinell’.

An activist for left-wing NGO Moviment Graffitti has been summoned to court by the police on charges of slandering circus organiser and PN candidate for the Sliema local council Silvio Zammit, during a 2010 demonstration against animal circuses.

Graffitti said it condemned the police force's reaction as "ridiculous and over the top."

The case will be heard in court on Thursday 1 March.

"A Moviment Graffitti activist is being accused of having slandered Silvio Zammit at a protest when she allegedly chanted the slogan 'Silvio Pulċinell'. This protest was organised by various animal rights organisations in order to demonstrate their disapproval of animal cruelty in circuses," Graffitti spokesperson Andre Callus said.

"Silvio Zammit, one of the principal promoters of circuses in Malta, took offence at this slogan which was allegedly being chanted by scores of people gathered at the protest. He requested the police to press charges.

"This is not the first time Silvio Zammit tried silencing criticism directed at himself by summoning animal rights activist to court on grounds of defamation. Graffitti notes with growing concern that this time however it is the police who are pressing charges against an activist simply for chanting a slogan."

Callus said 'pulcinell' (buffoon) was a frequently used word in Maltese which describes "individuals who demonstrate no consistency in word and action".

"We fail to understand how this can lead to a court summons. We believe it is perfectly legitimate for Silvio Zammit, who insists he loves animals but then brings animal circuses to Malta, to be described by such a word in a demonstration against animal cruelty. We therefore believe that the ridiculous charges brought against this activist go against the basic principles of freedom of expression."

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  • 16 Comments
Posted by: Sandra — 24/02/2012 11:29:24
I cannot believe the PN are allowing a circus organiser to run as representative of their party in the Sliema Local Council, they must be really desperate. His actions towards Graffiti activist are evidently childish and ego centric. A person guided by his ego; a self indulgent personality who will not stop at anything to make a buck is definitely not fit to represent any portion of the Sliema community.....once again a step in the wrong direction for Sliema LC!
Posted by: Fed Up — 23/02/2012 14:30:49
The Graffitti member should have taken a leaf out of Demarco's newly found liberalism, scaled a Carnival float-karru- and called pulcinell anyone he wanted to!
Posted by: Vincente Destra — 22/02/2012 23:20:07
Ara min irid ighajjar lil Silvio pulcinell! Dawk l-erbgha imdejqin bit- T- shirt ta' Che Guevara, l-ikbar clown fl-istorja. Mohhom f'erba' annimali,ghax ma jmorrux jixximmjotjaw quddiem xi abortion clinic.Hawn tant nies ibatu,u dawn mohhom fix-xadina ta' Orfei. Dawk il-veri clowns tad-dinja.L-ewwel il-bniedem,mela l-annimali. Pulcinell? Il-hippies socjalisti, il-qerda tad-dinja. Le ghal Malta falza tax-xellug, Le ghal Malta nord koreana socjalista
Posted by: Giovanni Demartino — 22/02/2012 12:31:46
Kemm hu njorant Franco! Jidher li lejburist. Mhux talli ma ghandux kelma wahda miktuba tajjeb, talli anqas isem mhu kapaci jkkopja. Kemm hi kerha l-injoranza....imma ghadu liebes il-maskra tal-karnival!
Posted by: franco — 22/02/2012 11:15:01
Wow this Silvio is very sensitive taking action after two years after being called a Purcinell. If I were the judge I'd fine him for wasting court time.
Posted by: franco — 22/02/2012 11:12:13
Ghalik De giovanni Mintoff u Silvio jghoqodu fl-istess keffa? Hallina Purcinell min jghamel din it-taqbila.
Posted by: torquemada — 22/02/2012 11:04:53
Mur ghamel karru tieghu dan fil karnival tas sena d diehla!!!
Posted by: peppi x — 22/02/2012 10:36:31
If Mr Zammit is so sensitive and takes offence at such a simple slogan, he should never have entered politics where individuals are called all sorts of names, some of them much more serious than "pulcinell." But maybe after all this action has been brought up now, just a few weeks before the Local Council elections simply as a way for Mr Zammit to get some free cheap propoganda now that he is contesting these elections.
Posted by: Giovanni Demartino — 22/02/2012 08:27:59
Ghal min qatt ma sema' 'pulcinellata akbar minn din' insaqsih jekk jiftakarx meta wiehed Ingliz kien ittella' l-qorti ghax kien irrefera ghal Mintoff bhala 'a funny little man'... Titlobnix links, Sur Laiviera. Fittixhom int.
Posted by: ALGAN — 22/02/2012 08:09:23
Unbelievable. What a waste of police time and taxpayer's money. Forget that pulcinell is word for a neopolitan clown and no doubt our magistrates are sure to be more knowledgeable of this fact than our officers of law and order but the irony of the case is that the circumstances of the alleged slander is that of a circus promoter where clowns and clowning should thrive. Whatever the reason the aggrieved person should have brought a civil defamation suit so that if he lost the case he would have to pay the legal costs and not burden the taxpayer. We must stop this charade of persons using the police for alleged slander cases.
Posted by: rcasha — 22/02/2012 06:24:14
Is this the same person whose wife brought in explosives on an airplane? http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20070421/local/fireworks-in-luggage-lead-to-airport-lounge-evacuation.19692
Posted by: maltipur — 21/02/2012 23:27:35
Oh, that is very serious accusation. The activist should be condemned to 20 years hard labour in Siberia and Silvio should be awarded a medal. The courst have nothing to do so such a stupid charge will keep them busy.
Posted by: DSmoke — 21/02/2012 23:01:59
Does this clown know that we have freedom of speech in Malta and it should be respected?
Posted by: Baggio — 21/02/2012 22:00:45
No wonder circuses showcasing animals obtain permission to perform in Malta in spite of the overwhelming dissent from the majority of Maltese citizens! Mr Zammit, a PN activist, surely knows which strings to pull!
Posted by: Victor Laiviera — 21/02/2012 21:09:12
Qatt ma smajt pulcinellata akbar minn din.
Posted by: rcasha — 21/02/2012 19:41:20
Sooo... he tries to prove that he's not a clown by pressing charges against someone who called him a clown?