Maltese community in Netherlands to protest after Fenech acquittal

Maltese people in the Netherlands have planned to gather outside the Maltese Embassy in The Hague in protest to demand justice for Daphne Caruana Galizia.

"We are shocked and angry but determined to keep demanding truth, justice and accountability," Organisers Nathan Portelli, Justin Elull and Emma Grima said in their social media post on Saturday.

The gathering will take place at 6:30pm, with Maltese people in the Netherlands joining protests in Malta and gatherings by Maltese communities elsewhere in Europe.

The protest follows the acquittal of Yorgen Fenech, who was accused of masterminding the assassination of Caruana Galizia, the journalist killed in a car bombing in October 2017.

The gathering in The Hague will form part of wider demonstrations following the conclusion of Fenech’s trial. In Malta, several NGOs will take part in a protest organised by Repubblika in Valletta on 16 September at 7pm.

The organisers in the Netherlands said they stood "in solidarity with Daphne’s family, with journalists and activists who continue to speak truth to power, and with everyone who refuses to accept a Malta where impunity is allowed to prevail".

The Maltese community in London will also hold a vigil outside Malta House in Mayfair on 13 September at 10am. Organiser Jenny Oakley invited the Maltese community and supporters of press freedom to attend or participate from elsewhere.

Oakley said the London vigil aimed to support "truth, justice, accountability, and the vital role of independent and international investigative journalism in defending democracy."

People unable to attend the London vigil have been encouraged to hold peaceful vigils in their own towns or cities, while organisers have also urged people to visit Maltese embassies or consulates at 10am local time and share messages of support for the Caruana Galizia family.

Back in the Netherlands, organisers said the gathering was not only about remembering Caruana Galizia but about continuing to demand truth, justice and accountability.

They said they wanted to show that Maltese people living abroad remained engaged with events in Malta and would continue to speak out against impunity.

"We are Maltese living in the Netherlands. We care about our country. We care about truth. We care about justice. And we will not look away," the organisers said.

Those attending the The Hague gathering have been urged to bring placards, Maltese flags and their voices.

"Justice for Daphne. Justice for Malta," organisers said