Repubblika president Robert Aquilina said on Monday that a Facebook comment by a man who said that he “would hurl a barrel of acid at him,” reminded him of mafia-style attacks.

Aquilina was testifying in court in hate-speech proceedings against Johann Vella over a comment the accused allegedly wrote under a Facebook post by Godwin Schembri in March.

Schembri had shared a story about a protest organised by the NGO Repubblika outside former prime minister Joseph Muscat’s Sa Maison office on March 1.

That protest followed a damning judgement which had just been delivered about the fraudulent hospitals’ privatisation deal.

During that protest, Repubblika activists stuck a placard saying ‘Joseph Muscat Prim Korrott.’

The following day, Aquilina was informed about the comment written under Schembri’s post.

The comment ran along the lines that “if some clown sticks trash on my property I would hurl a barrel of acid at him,” wrote Vella, adding that Aquilina was “trash.”

“I interpreted that as a threat and as instigating violence against me,” said Aquilina when taking the witness stand on Monday.

That, he said, was why he had filed a police report the very next day.

“Such comments have an effect on my life and that of my family,” went on Aquilina, saying that others might put words into action. And that was dangerous.

He had faced threats such as when someone blocked his path while he was driving with his wife and children, he said. On other occasions, he was confronted aggressively.

“But that wasn’t my client!,” promptly interrupted the accused’s lawyer, Lennox Vella.

“I interpreted that comment [by the accused] as instigating that level of hatred and violence,” Aquilina explained.

The accused’s comments reminded him of mafia-style acid attacks intended to destroy victims.

“The message was clear, namely that I deserved being targeted by a barrel of acid.”

He had sought police protection because of such incidents, said Aquilina.

Meanwhile, he had filed a correction to his original complaint concerning a photo he had presented of the suspect behind the allegedly hateful comment.

In that picture, Vella was seen posing with a weapon.

But Aquilina was subsequently informed that the photo was possibly taken during some filming.

Meanwhile, Vella’s lawyer had filed an application requesting the court to revoke a €500 fine which the accused had been slapped with after failing to turn up at a previous sitting.

“His absence was justified by a medical certificate,” explained the defence.

The lawyer himself had failed to turn up that time through an oversight.

After taking note of the defence’s written request and submissions today, Magistrate Ian Farrugia upheld the request and revoked the previous decree thus cancelling the €500 fine which Vella had been ordered to pay for contempt of court.

The case continues.

Inspector Dorianne Tabone prosecuted.

Lawyer Lennox Vella was defence counsel.

Lawyer Jason Azzopardi appeared parte civile.