Burger adverts on bastions 'blatant act of vandalism', Valletta mayor says

Updated 3.11pm 

Valletta’s most significant monument is being turned into a billboard, with adverts projected on the bastion walls in a "blatant act of vandalism", according to the mayor and heritage NGO Din l-Art Ħelwa.

In a statement on Monday, the environment NGO pointed out that operational guidelines for World Heritage sites, such as Valletta, lay down that such sites must be protected not only in their physical fabric, but also in their authenticity, integrity, setting, important views, visual relationships and sense of place.

"Projecting commercial publicity directly onto these historic fortifications is therefore extremely difficult to reconcile with those principles. Temporary does not mean harmless," the NGO said.

The authorities should explain who authorised this intervention and what heritage assessment, if any, was carried out before one of Valletta’s most significant monuments was turned into a billboard, it said. 

It recalled that in 2018 there was a major controversy in Australia over a proposal to project horse-race advertising onto the sails of the Sydney Opera House, another UNESCO World Heritage site. Critics objected that a World Heritage monument was being treated as a billboard, and UNESCO said it was looking into the matter.

In 2025, Greece took legal action after a drone-based Adidas advert appeared beside the Acropolis, with the culture minister condemning the commercial use of the monument and saying it made it look as though the shoe was “kicking” the Acropolis. The Acropolis is also a UNESCO World Heritage site.

"And in Malta, we publicise hamburgers on the magnificent walls of Valletta's St John Bastion.  Is it not enough that the entire island is already plastered with commercial billboards? Must we now project advertising onto the magnificent bastion walls of Valletta, a UNESCO World Heritage Site?" Din L-Art Ħelwa asked.

Council ask police to step in

Later, Valletta mayor Olaf McKay said the council did not issue, nor has the authority to issue, permits for this type of activity. 

"I join Din l-Art Ħelwa in condemning, in the strongest possible terms, this blatant act of vandalism on the fortifications of Valletta, specifically at the City Gate of Valletta, a UNESCO World Heritage Site," he said. 

He said the council would "not tolerate abuses such as this" and called for the relevant authorities to take action.

"I have already contacted the owner and instructed them to remove the projection immediately. I have also spoken to the police so that the appropriate action can be taken," he said.

"To Hotty Burger, I say this: our historic fortifications are not a commercial billboard. You cannot simply set up a projector and use our national heritage as advertising space for your business. Show some respect for our capital city and for the country in which you live".

He said the projection demonstrated "a complete lack of respect for Valletta, for our heritage, and for our country".

According to its Facebook page, Hotty Burger is one of the caterers at the World Cup fanzone in the Valletta Ditch, also known as Laparelli Gardens. 

The Gżira-based burger bar has been sharing videos of its staff and entertainers at the site. 

The projection can be seen on the background of one of these videos.