Activists accused by the justice minister of spoiling the Great Siege monument have in turn blamed cleansing department employees for the “mess” at the makeshift memorial to slain journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia.

Cleansing workers have been sweeping away photos, candles and placards in memory of Ms Caruana Galizia for well over a year. Orders to clear the site were given by Culture Minister Owen Bonnici, a court heard in November of 2018. 

On Wednesday, the minister complained on Facebook that he had been taken to court by Repubblika activists for doing his duty and ensuring that the Great Siege monument was safeguarded and cleaned regularly.

The minister uploaded a picture showing what seems to be wax spillage at the foot of the Antonio Sciortino monument.

He questioned whether it was right that the monument was being spoilt when anyone could apply for a memorial elsewhere.

When contacted, Repubblika said that Dr Bonnici had “done this before”. 

“He sends his gang to take photos of the mess of their own making. People have seen his troops ‘cleaning’ the protest memorial. They topple wax, kick plants around, and make a hopeless mess. He then publishes the photos and blames it on protesters who keep up the memorial, replant, repot and clean the site regularly,” the activists said.

It was truly embarrassing for Malta to have a justice minister who seemed to have nothing better to do than fabricate evidence. The country was burning, people were being robbed and Dr Bonnici was worried about a wax stain, they added.

The ministry was asked whether it had determined how the damage was caused, but no reply was forthcoming.