There is no room for hateful acts or comments which are based on sexuality, Minister for Inclusion and Social Wellbeing Julia Farrugia Portelli told The Malta Independent on Friday.

She was asked about what she has described as "homophobic" towards gay people made by Mosta priest Fr David Muscat.

Anger stirred up after the priest wrote a comment on Facebook remarking that if the suspected murderer of a Polish woman last Sunday, Abner Aquilina, turned out to be gay or bisexual, this would be worse than him being possessed by the devil.

The minister has written to the Police Commissioner asking him to investigate what she described as a “homophobic” rant by the priest.

“It is easy to hide behind a keyboard, but in reality, society has sent a strong message that this is unacceptable, even from the general feedback by the citizens,” Farrugia Portelli told this newsroom.

She reminded that the government has worked in attempt to reduce hate speech, following the decisions made as a ministry last December in strengthening the law regarding those who are convicted of hate speech. These crimes will be extended to include hate speech against the elderly as well as persons with disabilities, Farrugia Portelli added.

“This country has made long strides when it comes to the rights of the LGBTIQ community,” the minister said. She continued to say that in the 70s, the country had a law which entailed that if an individual was gay, they can end up imprisoned. That same law was changed under a Labour government with former Prime Minister Dom Mintoff as leader, she said. Other improvements were made over the years which include clear laws in situations where there is hate speech about sexuality, the courts being entitled to give harsh sentences in these cases, Farrugia Portelli said.

Since the reports against Fr Muscat, Archbishop Charles Scicluna has issued a formal warning to the priest, referred to in Canon Law as a penal precept, which instructs him to cease making inflammatory and hurtful comments in public forums, otherwise he would be subject to prohibition from exercising his ministry in public.

Following requests for action against the priest made by Farrugia Portelli, Equality Minister Owen Bonnici as well as the Malta Gay Rights Movement, the police will also issue online hate speech charges against Muscat.