Two admit to assaulting activist in Republic Street

A court has imposed protection orders in favour of activist Manuel Delia and his wife Clemence Dujardin after the latter was assaulted in Valletta.

The incident happened in Republic Street last December.

Paul Cassar, 59, and Helen Cutajar, 58 appeared before Magistrate Joe Mifsud this morning on charges of threatening and insulting Dujardin on 13 December at 2.45pm.

Cassar alone was also accused of assault and criminal damage, having smashed Dujardin’s mobile phone for filming the attack.

Delia had blogged about the assault, explaining how his wife had been out Christmas shopping in Valletta when she stopped to have a chat with some activists in front of the makeshift memorial to murdered journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia.

At a point, she heard a small group of people shouting and swearing at activists who were laying flowers and candles at the foot of the memorial and tried to film what was going on. Dujardin had her phone knocked out of her hands and received a punch from Cassar.

In court today, Magistrate Mifsud repeated more than once that people have a right to express themselves without getting hurt.

The accused appeared unperturbed as they stood in the dock, even as they were warned that the charges carried a maximum punishment of five months’ imprisonment.

Cassar and Cutajar pleaded guilty to the charges.

The magistrate ordered the parties to settle the damages before proceeding to judgment.

Cutajar was admonished and reprimanded, while Cassar was handed a conditional discharge. Both accused were made to submit to protection orders in favour of Dujardin and Delia.

“You should never have gotten to this stage,” remarked the magistrate to the guilty pair. “They have a right to express themselves as do you. That is the beauty of our country - that we don’t agree but we get along.”

The magistrate asked the parties to shake hands, but was told by lawyer Andrew Borg Cardona, appearing parte civile for the injured party, that it was too soon for this.

At this stage, it would be “better to exchange greetings and stop there today,” he said.

Inspector Priscilla Caruana Lee prosecuted. Lawyer Dustin Camilleri was defence counsel.