Valletta Demonstration Demands Justice Following Yorgen Fenech Acquittal

16 September 2026, 22:00 · Updated 17 September 2026, 19:01

Thousands of people took to the streets of Valletta on Wednesday evening in a demonstration of solidarity with the family of murdered journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia. The crowd marched through the capital chanting and carrying banners demanding truth, judicial accountability, and institutional reform.

The protest was organised two weeks after the controversial jury verdict that acquitted businessman Yorgen Fenech. Demonstrators voiced profound frustration with the outcome of the proceedings, carrying placards reading "justice denied" and insisting that the verdict has settled nothing in the ongoing search for justice.

Drums sounded as the sizeable crowd made its way through Republic Street towards Great Siege Square. Organisers reiterated that the public gathering was an affirmation of resilience and a collective refusal to let the assassination and the circumstances surrounding it go unanswered.

Political figures from across the political spectrum were present among the demonstrators. Opposition Leader Alex Borg attended alongside several Nationalist Party members of parliament, while ADPD Leader Sandra Gauci was also among the crowd in the capital.

Ahead of the march, European Parliament President Roberta Metsola publicly urged citizens to participate, describing attendance at the solidarity protest as a civic duty. The demonstration reflected widespread public sentiment following the conclusion of the high-profile court case.

Speakers and participants underscored that the pursuit of full accountability for Caruana Galizia's assassination would continue unabated. The event concluded with calls for institutional integrity and renewed vigilance across the Maltese legal and political systems.

Michael Caruana Galizia, the father of murdered journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia, addressed demonstrators in Valletta, warning that Malta remains engaged in a critical struggle for sound democratic institutions and the rule of law. Speaking during the demonstration, the journalist's niece also spoke to the crowd, stating that justice is something that must be built together.

Crowds in the capital voiced strong condemnation of what they described as mafia influence within public institutions following the jury acquittal of Yorgen Fenech. Civil society organisations echoed calls to keep up public pressure, affirming that while the criminal trial has drawn to a close, their campaign for accountability and institutional reform has not ended.

The domestic calls for accountability were accompanied by actions abroad, with gatherings taking place outside several Maltese diplomatic missions across Europe. Demonstrators convened outside Maltese embassy buildings in Paris, Berlin, The Hague, and Dublin to express solidarity with the Caruana Galizia family and reiterate demands for justice.