'Gafa acting in personal capacity', OPM says, but cites freedom of expression
OPM 'person of trust's' actions 'not intended as a gesture against' the memory of Daphne Caruana Galizia
Neville Gafà was “acting in his personal capacity” when he removed tributes to Daphne Caruana Galizia from the Great Siege Memorial, a spokesperson for the Prime Minister said.
Robert Abela's spokesperson, however, pointed out that Gafà has “consistently clarified” that his actions are “not intended as a gesture against the memory of the late journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia but rather as an objection to the use of a national monument for purposes he considers unrelated to its historical significance”.
They said that freedom of expression applies to Gafà just as it does for Repubblika, the NGO which regularly holds vigils for the assassinated journalist and believes the Great Siege Monument should pay tribute to her.
“Repubblika holds the view that the Great Siege Monument should continue to serve as a symbolic memorial to Mrs Caruana Galizia, and its members regularly place flowers and candles there as an expression of that belief,” the OPM spokesperson said.
“In a democratic society, freedom of expression applies to all,” the OPM spokesperson said.
Neville Gafà, who is employed as a person of trust at OPM (under the industrial relations junior ministry), was filmed removing tributes to Daphne Caruana Galizia from the Great Siege Memorial hours after the eighth anniversary of her murder.
The action angered a significant portion of civil society and various embassies that placed wreaths.
Replying to Times of Malta earlier in the day, Gafà defended his actions saying he was “guided by a sense of civic responsibility and respect for Malta’s cultural heritage.”
“The Great Siege Monument is a national monument commemorating one of the most significant events in Maltese history, the Great Siege of 1565. It is a symbol of courage, unity, and national resilience. As such, it deserves the utmost respect and protection,” he said.
Gafà's removal of tributes for Caruana Galizia has been an ongoing issue for some time.
Earlier in the year, Gafà had been replacing tributes to the journalist with placards of his own.
On October 15, 2024, for example, the day before the seventh anniversary of Caruana Galizia's murder, Gafà placed printouts of news stories that cast a negative light on the journalist.
At the time, Gafà said that his actions symbolised "the essence of free speech". He has consistently maintained that the Great Siege Monument outside the law courts should not be "captured by extremists".