An unannounced protest is taking place in Castille Square, with protesters pitching tents in front of the Office of the Prime Minister.  Police are on the scene.

A banner placed next to the Europe-Africa summit monument led to a police man forcibly removing it, to the displeasure of other protestors. Currently police on the scene have called for further assistance.

In comments to The Malta Independent, those present explained that the protest is “an exercise in civil disobedience,” objecting against over-development and prioritising Malta’s environment above all else.

Representatives of Kamp Emergenza Ambjent outlined their demands and invited private individuals and NGOs to join them. Their demands include the scrapping of plans to build the Higher Education Institute in Zonqor and that all ODZ lands remain ODZ.

The Kamp are also calling for the Planning Authority to refrain from processing most applications for development on ODZ land from the outset. Plans for a fuel depot in Has-Saptan were mentioned as a specific example.

Although the was a call for public participation, the Kamp specifically said that MPs need not join as they have their own means to pass on the message. It was stressed that this peaceful protest is for the common citizens.

Further criticizing MPs, one of the spokespersons for the Kamp said that this is for the people who do not own villas with swimming pools in nature, stressing that people who should join are the ones who need to travel to possibly see some nature once a week as they live in ‘a jungle of buildings and smoke’.

One of the representatives said that the protest is being modeled after similar movements in the USA, Turkey and Spain where citizens stood up for their future. The Kamp Emergenza Ambjent have stressed that democracy, respect and non-violence are at the core of the movement.