Moviment Graffitti is to hold a second protest at Comino's Blue Lagoon, on August 13, to 'reclaim' the island from its 'hijacking' by commercial interests.

The NGO held a much-publicised protest at the place at the beginning of summer, complaining that the scenic bay is being swamped by rental deckchairs and umbrellas, often put up before they are actually needed. 

Tourism Minister Clayton Bartolo subsequently announced that no sunbeds would be allowed on the sandy beach at the Blue Lagoon while their number on the quay would be reduced.

But the NGO said on Wednesday that in a recent visit it found that only a few deckchairs on the small sandy part of the Blue Lagoon had been removed, while the rest of the area – on the quay, the walkway, and the other small beach – was still covered in empty deckchairs and umbrellas from early morning.

"We will not accept a situation where a few people with money and political influence snatch what rightfully belongs to the people. Neither will we accept that these companies continue with their destruction of a nature reserve for their private profits," it insisted.

"As the Blue Lagoon continues to be hijacked by commercial interests that have transformed this beach into their private lido, we will free it up with the public’s participation and enjoy a day at the beach," the group said.

The June 10 protest.

Graffitti said it is also complaining about large boats that pour in hundreds of tourists in Comino and the exaggerated number of large kiosks that create unsustainable waste and noise on the island. 

It insisted that:

• Deckchairs and umbrellas are only set up at the request of a person physically present on the spot, and such deckchairs and umbrellas should they occupy more than 30% of the entire area of the Blue Lagoon;
• Big boats which disembark hundreds of tourists at a time should be prohibited from Comino.
• There should be a limit of two small kiosks, without music, in the Blue Lagoon.
• There should be restrictions on the type and amount of waste generated, and this should be collected every day in the evening to avoid sustaining rats, which cause great damage to the natural environment.

Those interested in joining the protest may book their place on a boat via a registration form on: https://www.comino.movimentgraffitti.org/ . Boats will depart to the Blue Lagoon from Ċirkewwa and Mġarr (Gozo) at 8am. There will be a number of return trips starting from noon.