Controversy has continued over the construction of a road in a rural area of Dingli, with three residents filing a judicial protest against the protestors themselves – something which NGO Moviment Graffitti have decried as a government-led PR student.

Since Monday, Moviment Graffitti activists, some farmers and residents have been protesting against the construction of a road in Dingli, blocking the path of the prospective road, sitting in the way of contractors in a bid to stop the works from taking place.

 Some activists have even camped out on the site.

Activists and residents continue to insist that Infrastructure Malta do not have any permits to carry out the development - which will cut through agriculture land - although the project manager leading the project tried to convince the police on Tuesday otherwise by showing them letters from the ERA and the Superintendence of Cultural Heritage.

Three residents however have filed a judicial protest this morning, through their lawyer Shazoo Ghaznavi, in which they claimed Moviment Graffitti were “abusively, clandestinely and contrary to the express wishes of the plaintiffs and residents, creating obstacles to the works” by blocking the road, “and thereby creating a risk to the lives of the same residents.”

The residents claim that the NGO was never given a mandate by the road’s residents and therefore was representing them “illicitly and illegally,” causing some residents to miss appointments or be late for work. They would be holding Graffitti responsible in damages for any negative consequences, they said.

15 other local residents signed a document attached to the judicial protest, giving their support for the roadworks.

In reaction though, Moviment Graffitti said on Facebook that this is Infrastructure Malta and Transport Minister Ian Borg have come up with a PR stunt - a judicial protest signed by residents against the actions of activists in Dingli, Moviment Graffitti has alleged on Facebook.

In a post on Wednesday, Graffitti said: “We are not surprised at this seeing the tactics Infrastructure Malta have repeatedly employed against us, including the harassment of some individuals (external to Moviment Graffitti) who were present, through the use of malicious phone calls, and violent behaviour from different contractors on Monday and Tuesday.”

The group later said it had sent Borg and Azzopardi a petition signed by almost 200 residents of Dingli.

“192 residents, all of whom hail from Dingli and residing in the affected streets, including Sqaq il-MUSEUM, Triq San Ġwann Bosco and Daħla tas-Sienja, have stated unequivocally that they are not in favour of the road. The number is set to increase as more residents have asked to sign the petition,” the group said.