BirdLife probably chose the wrong day for their latest protest, as their message was not as powerfully received as they intended it to be.

Nonetheless, what they did in front of the Prime Minister’s office last Monday deserves to be highlighted.

We say that they chose the wrong day because it was the 16th of October which, in the last six years, has been a day where the country mourns the loss of journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia who was assassinated, and calls for justice. Since that terrible day in 2017, activists have been holding vigils every month on the 16th, while when October comes, they up the tempo with a string of activities which culminate in a gathering on the site when the journalist was killed in Bidnija, and followed up with a vigil in Valletta.

The focus on the media, that day, is largely on the activities being held to remember the journalist, while also discussing issues that pertain to the heinous crime itself, and related subjects such as freedom of information, journalists’ rights and the future of the media.

So we do question the date that was chosen by BirdLife to protest against illegal hunting. Their symbolic protest in front of Castille would have certainly been given a wider coverage and more exposure had it been held on any other day.

Having said this, their symbolic gesture once again serves to focus on the plight of migratory birds that are shot down by Maltese hunters on their way north or south, depending on the season.

Activists held placards with photos of the migratory birds, while bird songs were played in the background only to be intermittently silenced by gunshot sounds. With each shot, the participants fell to the ground while at the same time changing the photo to show the death of an illegally shot and dead protected bird.

Banners were later displayed to call for courage in the fight against the hunters who break the law and to accuse the Prime Minister of allowing rampant illegal hunting to go on. The blood of these birds is on your hands, one of the banners said, with a photo of a smiling Robert Abela.

For many years BirdLife has accused successive governments of appeasing the hunting lobby, in what is seen by many as a vote catching exercise. Political parties are fearful of losing the votes of the hunting population as well as that of their families which, in number, is larger than the number of environmentalists. It must be recalled that eight years ago a referendum with the aim of abolishing spring hunting did not pass, as the number of voters wanting the practice to continue was higher than the number of those who opposed it.

In Monday’s protest, BirdLife also questioned why the resources provided to the Environment Protection Unit within the police force have been further reduced, making it extremely difficult for the officers involved to operate properly. Such an attitude has led hunters to believe that they are untouchables and that they can do what they like without fear of being caught and brought to book.

This is the Prime Minister’s fault, the NGO said, and it is high time he takes responsibility. The government and the authorities must take action to ensure that protected birds are not shot.