Updated 8pm

A large crowd gathered in front of parliament on Sunday afternoon and marched along Republic Street towards the law courts protesting the proposed reform to magisterial inquiries.

Demonstrators told Times of Malta they were concerned about the impacts a reform of the court inquiry system would have on ordinary people's rights.

Some waved the Maltese flag while others chanted "you Kant be trusted".

"We have had enough," said Doreen Cutajar when asked why she turned up for the protest.

Alfred Sciberras described the current state of affairs as "disgusting" while 18-year-old Dania added:  "I don't feel there is a future for me here because what I believe and stand for isn't really practised here anymore".

The demonstrators walked down Republic Street towards the law courts. Photo: Matthew Mirabelli

A bill proposing changing how citizens can request a magisterial inquiry was tabled by the government last month.

In line with the proposed changes, citizens will have to first approach the police before filing a request with a judge six months later.

Hundreds of people turned up for the protest. Photo: Matthew Mirabelli

The bill is currently in the second reading phase.

After this discussion phase, the bill will go to a majority vote and will then be discussed in the committee stage.

Some demonstrators carried placards. Photo: Matthew Mirabelli

The Opposition and NGOs such as Repubblika have all raised concerns about the amendments stifling citizens' rights.

The Chamber of SMEs said it feared the amendments undermined the independence of the judiciary.

Former chief justice Silvio Camilleri has separately blasted the bill, warning it will “only serve to shield politicians and their persons of trust from investigation”.

Moviment Graffitti endorsed the protest. Photo: Matthew Mirabelli

The protest was organised by rule-of-law NGO Repubblika and Occupy Justice, supported by aditus, PEN Malta, Vuci Kolletiv, GhSL (law students association), and the Daphne Caruana Galizia Foundation, and endorsed by Momentum and NGO Moviment Graffitti.

Endorsed by a number of student organisations, KSU Kunsill Studenti Universitarji also attended the protest.

"We call on our leaders to uphold transparency and accountability and reject any measure that weakens government accountability, enables impunity and undermines the rule of law. History has shown the necessity of such mechanisms in our country, and dismantling them serves only to protect those with power, not the public good," they said in a statement after the protest.

"Students will not remain silent in the face of attempts to subvert the rule of law or erode citizens’ rights to seek truth and justice. We stand firmly against this and any measure that seeks to weaken democratic oversight and accountability."

Momentum addressed the media ahead of the protest. Photo: Matthew Mirabelli

Ahead of the protest, Natasha Azzopardi from Momentum told a press conference the government was trying to "remove transparency".

Matthew Agius, also from Momentum described the amendments as an "unprecedented attack" that "goes against the principles of good governance".

Vicki Ann Cremona addressing protestors. Photo: Matthew Mirabelli

Vicki Ann Cremona, president of Repubblika was the first to address the crowd in front of the law courts. 

She urged Prime Minister Robert Abela: “Stop and get it into your head: we are here to tell you we are not going to let you trample over us and we will not allow you to deceive us into thinking you're doing us a favour".

"Keep those pseudo-favours to yourself," she said.

She also urged those present to show solidarity with Robert Aquilina after a magistrate last month ordered the police to investigate how an inquiry into Pilatus Bank ended up in the hands of the former Repubblika president. Cremona also expressed solidarity with lawyer Jason Azzopardi and journalists who “are being attacked for doing their job”.

Cremona meanwhile reminded the crowd that the protest fell on the monthly anniversary of the assassination of Daphne Caruana Galizia. 

ADPD's leader Sandra Gauci. Photo: Matthew Mirabelli

Law student Andrew Drago said Caruana Galizia was killed by a “culture of impunity”.

He told the crowd many lawyers said the proposed law was "absurd".

Addressing Culture Minister Owen Bonnici who reportedly urged people who have evidence of wrongdoing to report it to the police or other institutions rather than request a magisterial inquiry,  Drago said:  “If you weren't playing with fire in our country, it would be a comedic comment".

Drago said that the best response to Bonnici came from Carmelo Abela, who, as opposition education spokesman in 2003 requested an inquiry into the Foundation for Tomorrow’s Schools.

"In 2003, the magistrate asked Abela: Why didn’t you go to the police?... Abela had replied that the magistrate can investigate better and be more independent."

Jason Azzopardi addressing demonstrators. File photo: Matthew Mirabelli

Azzopardi was also present at the protest. He was among those who addressed the crowd, describing the current state of the country as one "where the leadership of the police is exploited by those in the government who are corrupt".

Azzopardi said people did not want to live in a country where a mafia-like clique controlled a party and a government.

"A clique that, as a criminal organisation, has taken control of power to enrich itself and steal millions of euros from us.

"This is the same criminal organisation that now wants to take away your right to go to the magistrate to uncover the truth about who, in the government, is stealing from you."

Some demonstrators carried placards. Photo: Matthew Mirabelli

Occupy Justice's Louiselle Vassallo recalled how, seven years ago she was standing in front of the same makeshift memorial to Caruana Galizia.

Back then, Occupy Justice had set up three billboards that read 'A journalist killed - no justice'; 'A  country robbed - no justice' and 'No prosecutions - no justice', and which had been taken down "with incredible efficiency".

That was how former Joseph Muscat's government "would react when the message contradicted him: efficiently, with penalties and censorship”, she said, adding that Abela's government had followed suit.

"The prime minister was the legal consultant who helped take down those billboards," she said, adding that Abela was now trying to rush the bill through.

"Abela doesn’t hesitate to take action against anyone who dares offer an opinion he doesn’t like.”

Instead of weighing the words of former Chief Justice Silvio Camilleri, Abela had “appointed one of his loyal servants - Minister Jonathan Attard - to launch an attack on the former Judge", she said.

Manuel Delia at the demonstration. Photo: Matthew Mirabelli

Blogger and activist Manuel Delia closed off the demonstration by thanking those who had requested a magisterial inquiry over the years and expressing solidarity with Aquilina and Azzopardi. 

“When the government makes laws that instead of protecting people protect the government itself from the people, then democracy starts fading from our lives," he said.

Delia claimed that while there were several, within the police force, who "have a conscience and want to do good", the government had appointed "someone inept" to manage them.

He urged the judiciary to defend their independence.

“Why do you need to retire to [voice concern]? Why do you need to wait for a pension to talk? Be our defenders,” he urged.