The Franciscan friars at Ta' Ġieżu church in Valletta have defended their integrity amid controversy over their objections to entertainment venues operating in the area, insisting their concerns are based on years of complaints from residents and not on political motives.

In a fresh statement published on the church's social media page, the friars said they felt compelled to respond after their honesty had been questioned following earlier posts highlighting what they described as persistent noise, accessibility problems and indecent behaviour outside the church.

Addressing criticism over claims of women undressing in public, the friars said such incidents were not isolated and had been documented over several years.

"These women's shows have never stopped," they said, adding that they do not monitor such activity themselves but receive reports and videos from residents. They said footage exists from 2024, 2025 and this year, including one incident in May and another more recent occurrence.

The friars also said longstanding concerns over accessibility and excessive noise remain unresolved despite repeated complaints. They noted that the police had been called to intervene as recently as last Saturday and thanked officers for their work, while arguing that enforcement alone had failed to resolve the problem.

They reiterated that their objective is to prevent another entertainment establishment from opening near the historic church, warning that the street "cannot cope" with additional commercial activity and that Ta' Ġieżu risks losing its character. They also maintained that the situation surrounding the existing establishment needs to be addressed.

The friars appealed for the issue not to become politicised, insisting they have always remained non-partisan and have welcomed everyone regardless of political affiliation.

"If you don't believe us, come and ask the residents," they said, while thanking people of goodwill, including members of the government, who had expressed understanding and support.

The friars insisted that the issue goes beyond the application for a new permit, saying they also want existing illegalities and noise problems to be addressed. They said they had been reluctant to publish images and details of what had been taking place outside the church, but believed doing so had become the only way of making the public aware of the situation.