A Maltese black teenager joined Prime Minister Joseph Muscat on the campaign trail on Monday, a day after two soldiers were accused of murdering a migrant,

Describing herself as “ethnically Ethiopian, but Maltese”, 14-year-old Thea Mizzi spoke, in Maltese, in Ħamrun: “I came here to show you I am Maltese just like you.”

She said that she had been hurt by the murder of Ivorian Lassana Cisse.

“He came to Malta for shelter, for protection. He did not come here to die,” she said, thanking Malta for having accepted her and her sister with open arms.

Thea said that she could remember some people making fun of her when she was younger, but she had grown up to be a proud Maltese citizen.

She would still meet the odd person who would be surprised to hear a black person speak in Maltese, but she was proud of not only speaking in Maltese but of speaking the language as they do in Zebbuġ.