Daphne's grandchildren lay flowers at murder site on 8th anniversary

The family of Daphne Caruana Galizia joined activists and dignitaries in Bidnija, at the site where the journalist was assassinated by a car bomb eight years ago, to lay wreaths and pay their respects.

Her sons Paul and Andrew and the journalist’s young grandchildren – who were born after her murder - were among those who laid flowers.

 At 3pm, bells tolled on a loudspeaker to commemorate the time the bomb was detonated as she drove away from her home on October 16, 2017. The car came to a stop in a nearby field, where a memorial to her now stands.  

Following a minute’s silence, Members of NGO Occupy Justice read out passages, poems, and a post from Caruana Galizia’s own blog, Running Commentary, in which she described, in her trademark acerbic style, the misogyny she faced during one of many court sittings she had to attend over something she had written. 

The gathering was attended by several foreign dignitarties. Photo: Jonathan Borg.

Those gathered were then invited to lay wreaths and flowers by the side of the field.

The gathering was also attended by representatives of the Nationalist Party, as well as several ambassadors, including those of the Netherlands, France, Germany, Ireland, and the British High Commissioner. 

Daphne Caruana Galizia's son Andrew, his two children and their dog, at the memorial event. Photo: Jonathan Borg

Later on Tuesday, a mass in honour of Caruana Galizia will be held at the St Francis of Assisi church in Valletta. At 7pm, a march will start at City Gate in the capital, ending in a vigil in Great Siege Square.   

Earlier, journalists and writers gathered in front of the Great Siege Memorial to pay tribute to Caruana Galizia.

Activists created a display to commemorate the eighth anniversary of the assassination. Photo: Jonathan Borg.

On Tuesday, a debate will be held in the European Parliament to mark the anniversary and discuss the “backsliding of the rule of law in Malta.” 

Caruana Galizia's murder in 2017 shook the nation.

The first arrests occurred almost a year later, after which brothers George and Alfred Degiorgio and Vince Muscat were charged with her murder. 

In November 2019, businessman Yorgen Fenech was arrested while attempting to leave Malta, and was charged with complicity in the murder, a charge he denies. The arrest followed that of taxi driver Melvin Theuma, who was given a presidential pardon in exchange for providing information on the murder. 

Occupy Justice's Pia Zammit reads out a passage in honour of Daphne. Photo: Jonathan Borg.

The fallout from the arrests, and Fenech’s close relationships to people in the highest corridors of power, sparked unprecedented protests that demanded an end to corruption and cronyism, and led to various resignations including that of Prime Minister Joseph Muscat.

The Degiorgios, Muscat, as well as Robert Agius and Jamie Vella, who were found guilty of supplying the bomb, are all serving prison sentences. Fenech's trial is yet to take place.  

A public inquiry into Caruana Galizia’s murder determined that the state bore responsibility for the murder after creating a state of impunity that enabled the assassination. 

Earlier this year, Fenech was granted bail after spending the previous six years in pre-trial detention. 

After starting her blog, Running Commentary, in 2008, Caruana Galizia became known for exposing numerous government scandals. Her revelations related to various politicians' inclusion in the Panama Papers in 2016 earned her the title of ‘one-woman Wikileaks.’