Panellist files police report over ‘threat’ after TVM discussion
Jeremy Camilleri was a guest on television show 'Popolin' last week
A panellist who was on the TVM programme that discussed disability and religion has filed a police report after a viewer left a “threatening” online comment wishing “he would end up in a wheelchair”.
Jeremy Camilleri was a guest on the television show Popolin last week, on the same episode that also hosted Phyllisienne Brincat and Pastor Gordon John Manché and which controversially discussed the topic of religion.
During the discussion, Camilleri argued against the existence of miracles and said he would be willing to give his house to anyone who can find one person who has had an amputated limb miraculously grow back through “faith and prayer”.
“I said it because I don’t believe it can ever happen and I know the ‘healing’ business is used as an excuse to make big money in other countries,” Camilleri told Times of Malta.
Social media user Malta Daily snipped that sound bite and uploaded it to TikTok, leading one viewer to wish God would land Camilleri in a wheelchair.
“If only God put you in a wheelchair so you would know who he is,” the viewer wrote and followed it with a second comment.
Camilleri felt the comments made were threatening his safety. Photo: Jeremy Camilleri“You’d better shut up because he [God] would quickly put you in a wheelchair, you idiot.”
Camilleri, who is frequently invited on opinion panels for his often controversial takes on current affairs, is used to dodging insults following his television appearances and said he has grown used to them but he felt this one was a threat to his safety and reported it to the police.
“People have insulted me with all sorts of comments and I never took offence but the hatred crossed the line and has now become bullying,” he said.
“If someone hates you enough to pray to God to put you in a wheelchair, I fear they could actually harm you if they get the chance. I don’t believe God would actually harm me but people could.”
Camilleri reported the comments to the police on Monday.
This particular episode of Popolin has been controversial since the moment it aired last week.
During the discussion, Brincat, a singer and TV personality, sparked public backlash when she claimed illness and disabilities are the result of original sin.
Many people on social media lambasted her for claiming parents were somehow at fault for their children’s disabilities, even though she was speaking specifically about the widely taught Christian doctrine of original sin.