Thousands of people this afternoon attended a PN demonstration 'in defence of democracy and freedom' in Valletta.

Opposition leader Simon Busuttil addressed the crowd and promised a Panama Papers investigation by a future PN government. He also said the PN would not observe a proposed new media law requiring the registration of websites featuring news.

The demonstration started on Castille Square and ended in Republic Street where Dr Busuttil addressed the crowd from a stage at the corner with Great Siege Square.

In his speech Dr Busuttil hit out at the government over the Panama Papers scandal and criticised the institutions, particularly the police, for failing to hold an investigation. He again accused the Police Commissioner of being the Prime Minister's puppet.

"If no investigation is carried out before the election, a new PN government led by me will investigate the Panama scandal and the people involved irrespective of whether they are a minister, a chief of staff or the prime minister," he said to applause.

Dr Busuttil said government was with its back to the wall and was now resorting to stifling freedom of expression.

He insisted the PN would not adhere to the obligations of a new media law being proposed by the government, which requires websites with news content to be registered. This, he said, underlined the principle of internet freedom.

Proposed new media law undermines internet freedom

"We will not obey it if it becomes law and we will repeal it when elected to government," Dr Busuttil said.

He accused government exponents of carrying out "savage attacks" on PN politicians. "First they came for us; today they are coming for journalists and tomorrow they will come for you," he warned.

Describing the government as the most corrupt in Malta's history, he said ordinary people were paying a price for this.

He said the large crowd was a signal to the government that the people were not scared of it and would not be silenced.

Dr Busuttil said the demonstration was a first step in a road to have a normal country where the government would serve the people.

"We can do this together, for us, for our children, for our country. If we have to take to the streets again, we will do so until the message reaches everyone."

In a call for national pride and unity, he closed off the speech by reciting the words of the national anthem that were shouted out by the crowd in front of him.

The demonstration was sparked by the decision by Economic Affairs Minister Chris Cardona to request a €47,000 garnishee order on Daphne Caruana Galizia's accounts pending a decision on four libel cases following her reports that he had visited a brothel in Germany while on an official visit.

The PN has also expressed concerns over amendments to the Press law subsequently issued by the government. 

Other speakers today were Jeremy Gingell, representing young people, 
lecturer Maryanne Lauri, former university pro-rector and ENT specialist Alec Lapira, a former PN candidate

de La Valette surveys the crowd.