Teatru Malta’s Sean Buhagiar has been questioned by the police over a criminal report filed against him by River of Love pastor Gordon John Manché.
The national theatre company artistic director was reported to the police after he called Manché an "asshole" on social media and repeated a quip which landed a satirist in trouble earlier.
Buhagiar said that local satire should be safeguarded and encouraged, in support of comedian Daniel Xuereb and satirist Matt Bonanno who have also been reported to the police by Manché.
The incident has prompted the home affairs and arts ministers to explore possible legislative amendments that protect freedom of speech.
Xuereb has been served with court summons for two charges: insulting Manché, and misusing electronic equipment to share threats in relation to a video of his comedy sketch he posted on social media in March.
Back in January, Matthew Bonanno, owner of the satirical news site Bis-Serjetà was charged with making online threats after he implied that the evangelical group River of Love should be carpet bombed.
Manché has also filed a judicial protest against Times of Malta demanding that articles linking his Christian evangelical community to the alleged murderer of a Polish woman are taken down from the website.
In his social media post, Buhagiar claims Manché has become "a real menace to cherished principles of free speech and satirical expression".
He encourages the community to fight back with satire by posting the comments that landed Xuereb and Bonanno in hot water.
"A collective response could create a tidal wave of satire. Then what? Take everyone to court? Of course, we would be lampooning; we would be asserting that satire is a vital art form that should be embraced by all, unless one has something to hide."
Buhagiar said on Friday the criminal report filed against him by Manché prompted law enforcement authorities to initiate an investigation into the matter.
“I don’t believe there is anything criminal in what I wrote and I believe that common sense will prevail.
"It is already very hard to be a satirist in Malta - you don’t come across good scathing satire every day here - let alone if you find people who misapply the legal system to try and scare you."
He stuck to his stand in support of the two comedians.
Buhiagar suggested starting a lobby to introduce some kind of safeguarding of satire.
"If a priest tells someone they are going to hell, you take it in context and don’t charge them for inciting hatred. If a doctor tells someone they are going to feel pain, you take it in context and don’t charge them for violence.
"If a satirist speaks, you should take in a context as well. There is a big difference between hate speech and satire or artistic expression such as comedy. If one wants to say whatever they like to their sect, they should let comedians say anything they like in their gig or their portals. Censorship laws were luckily abolished in Malta.
"In 2023 even the holy could be vilified for artistic purposes without facing criminal charges, let alone the unholy. So, long live satire and comedy.”
He signed off with the comment: "Gordon-John Manché, also known as Malta's biggest asshole, kindly refrain from interfering with satire, or we may be compelled to relocate River of Love to Buġibba and carpet bomb."
As a result of that post, he was questioned at a police station on Thursday afternoon.
Buhagiar has worked on satirical shows like Serataron and directed satirical theatre works like Sibna ż-Żejt. In 2014 he directed Jiena Nħobb, Inti tħobb which had caused significant protests by River of Love.
Manché and his Christian evangelical group have often been in the spotlight for promoting religious fanaticism.