Over 30 journalists, editors and columnists gathered outside Castille yesterday to protest against “a systematic campaign targeting journalists” following an arson attack on Daphne Caruana Galizia’s house on Saturday.

The journalists also presented a letter to the Prime Minister calling for greater protection of journalists and freedom of expression.

Speaking on the steps of Castille, a spokesman for the recently set up Journalists’ Committee called for the immediate protection of journalists and their families and insisted that journalists would not be intimidated by these attacks.

The spokesman said: “We are not alone in the fight against fascism and racism. We are writing to Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi to ask him to guarantee our protection, to protect our freedom of expression and to safeguard the principles of democracy and pluralism in the country.”

Yesterday’s protest was held to show solidarity with columnist Daphne Caruana Galizia whose residence was targeted by arsonists on Saturday morning at around 3am. Five large car tyres were packed with bottles of petrol were piled against the back door of the house and set alight.

No one was hurt, however, the door was extensively damaged. The fire was put out by the Caruana Galizia family before it could spread inside and cause further damage.

In a statement, Mrs Caruana Galizia said she had no doubt that “all the persons who committed this act of violence against my home and my family are connected with Malta’s nascent fascist and neo-Nazi movement”. She said that “this was not an attempt at burning a door, but an attempt at burning the house”.

Saturday's attack comes just 10 days after another attack on the residence of MaltaToday editor Saviour Balzan.

The Journalists’ Committee said the attacks had reached shocking levels and “confirm a systematic campaign targeting members of the press and outspoken critics of racism, while hate speech keeps being aired publicly undeterred”.

The attacks have been condemned by politicians, journalists and civil society.

Prime Minister Gonzi condemned what he called “Intimidatory attacks on journalists and people working with the immigrants”. Labour leader Alfred Sant, speaking in Siggiewi yesterday, said the recent spate of attacks “were nothing but barbaric and cowardly acts of intimidation, that should be condemned by one and all”. He said the culprits deserved on one thing – imprisonment. Other organisations that voiced their concern and expressed solidarity with Mrs Caruana Galizia included Alternattiva Demokratika, the Chamber of Advocates, the Journalists' Committee and the Institute of Maltese Journalists.

In the letter to the Prime Minister, over 55 journalists called on him to “intervene to ensure the executive arm of our democracy guarantees the freedom of expression and protects journalists from the danger of retaliation from cowardly criminals whose sole aim is to undermine the democratic process through systemic terror”.

The letter states that Saturday's attack on Mrs Caruana Galizia was certainly predictable, as were other attacks on members of the press who had publicly spoken out against racism and intolerance.

“We say this with utmost responsibility and in the light of the series of attacks against an editor, author, a lawyer working with refugees, and the Jesuit Order,” the journalists said in their letter.

They said that the police were obliged to recognise the gravity of these attacks by taking immediate action with regards to the perpetrators, and to ensure the protection and security of journalists and their families who may be in the target of these criminals.

“Beyond the condemnation and messages of solidarity to these victims, we feel that the State and particularly its executive should make it clear that the rule of law and the fundamental value of freedom of expression have to be safeguarded. Concretely, we demand that criminals behind these acts are prosecuted in the Courts immediately.”

Calling on the authorities to prioritise their efforts in this respect, and in the name of democracy and freedom of thought, the journalists warned that “we cannot wait until the first fatality of fascism for this extreme, violent and illegal intolerance to be stopped once and for all in our society.”

In conclusion, the journalists reiterated their commitment against racial hatred, adding, “we affirm our stand that these acts will not serve to silence us to change our fundamental ideals of freedom of expression”.