‘This is just the beginning’: thousands fill Castille Square in support of Jean Paul Sofia family

Thousands gathered in Castille Square on Monday evening for a vigil in memory of construction site victim Jean Paul Sofia.

The vigil was held moments after Prime Minister Robert Abela announced government will be appointing a public inquiry into Sofia’s death.

People from all walks of life attended the vigil, with crowds extending towards Repeublic Street and the Central Bank.

An emotional Isabelle Bonnici addressed those gathered, revealing the prime minister had personally contacted her just hours before to announce the launch of a public inquiry.

"In this moment, there are no politics involved; the only color present is that of love," Sofia's mother expressed to the crowd.

(Photo: James Bianchi/mediatoday)

She expressed gratitude to both the prime minister and the Opposition leader, acknowledging their roles in ensuring the public inquiry's establishment.

"I'm certain that Jean Paul is looking down on us right now, witnessing our unity in the color of love. Let us persist in our efforts to improve our laws. My goal is to achieve zero construction deaths," she passionately proclaimed.

Jean Paul's cousin also took the stage and spoke about the alarming number of victims left behind by the construction sector.

(Photo: James Bianchi/mediatoday)

"My cousin became an innocent victim," she lamented, stating that a flawed system led to his tragic death, where enforcement was merely a formality on paper.

Advocating for a "serious system," she emphasized the need for professional regulation of construction projects.

"This tragedy could befall anyone," she cautioned, urging for collective action to uncover the truth and prevent others from suffering the same fate.

(Photo: James Bianchi/mediatoday)

As the vigil came to a close, the crowd joined together in singing the national anthem. Participants were invited to ascend the steps of Castille to place their candles beneath Sofia's portrait as a symbol of remembrance and solidarity.

Peppi Azzopardi, the former Xarabank host, stood before the crowd and passionately addressed them, calling for a public inquiry for Jean Paul Sofia. He emphasized that their collective presence would ensure the realization of this demand.

(Photo: James Bianchi/mediatoday)

"This gathering is not about partisanship; it's about politics, but not divided along party lines. Our united color is the color of love," he declared, which was met with enthusiastic cheers from the crowd.

Azzopardi expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Abela and the Labour's parliamentary group, though this acknowledgment received a mixed reaction from those present, resulting in some jeers.

He further extended his appreciation to Opposition leader Bernard Grech and the PN parliamentary group for their support in favor of a public inquiry.

A somber moment arose when Azzopardi paid tribute to the late construction worker, Mohammed Kasem Hashem Alkhateeb, who tragically lost his life in an accident at a construction site in Rabat. "We stand here for you as well," Azzopardi solemnly stated, expressing solidarity with the victims and their families.

Sofia died when a building under construction collapsed at the Corradino Industrial Estate. Several other workers were injured in the incident.

For months Sofia's mother, Isabelle Bonnici, and friends have been supported by the PN and NGOs in demanding a public inquiry into the incident. She insists a magisterial inquiry would not be looking into all aspects that could have led to the tragedy such as the allocation of public land without looking into the individuals' police conduct.

In an exclusive interview with MaltaToday, Abela promised to publish the magisterial inquiry when it is concluded.