[WATCH] Graffitti stage protest in Strangers Gallery as Budget is interrupted

Activists from NGO Moviment Graffitti interrupt Finance Minister Clyde Caruana in the first few minutes of his Budget 2025 speech

By: maltatoday.com

Oct 28 2024
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[WATCH] Graffitti stage prote

Activists from NGO Moviment Graffitti interrupted Finance Minister Clyde Caruana in the first few minutes of his Budget 2025 speech.

Graffitti staged what is possibly the first ever protest in history during a Budget speech.

They unfurled a banner, and threw flyers in the air, accusing the government of being beholden to the influence of construction magnates.

The activists chanted ‘Tiżfnu għad-daqqa tal-iżviluppaturi’ leaving Minister Caruana bewildered. Some ministers, including Planning Minister Clint Camilleri were seen smiling as the activists shouted.

Parliamentary ushers tussled with the protestors in the Strangers’ Gallery, until they were cleared from the House.

The audio from the Budget broadcast was muted for a full 10 minutes before the stream was suspended all together.

On Facebook, where Graffitti streamed their protest live, the civic action group said Malta had been seized by construction development lobby interests that were leading to devastation, with no reforms on environment and planning rules, and the authorities ignoring court decisions to prosecute developers and their illegalities.

“The cherry on the cake is the governemnt changing the law to the benefit of developer Anton Camilleri ‘il-Franċiz’ and his monstrosity in Villa Rosa. This kingdom of developers is causing a lot of suffering and threatens our future and that of our children…

“Wwe are not ready to live under the dictatorship of developers and see our country destroyed by greed. We will not allow you to ignore the cry of the people for justice. The fight continues.”