Fibonacci Activism: Students Demonstrating To Let Migrants Into Malta Pledge Daily Increase In Numbers
First, it was just one young student standing outside Parliament. Then it was three. The next day, five. Today, eight. But this isn’t the end, and lead protestor Xandru Cassar has promised an increase in demonstrators that will reflect a popular mathematical sequence.
Cassar, a student who has become one of the most prominent faces of a young movement demanding the safe entry of African migrants into Malta, has been standing outside of Parliament over the past week, handing out letters to MPs despite vicious criticism on online comments boards.
“The aim is to put pressure on our elected representatives to respect the basic human rights of these people – by virtue of their humanity, they deserve to be on dry land in a safe port,” Cassar said, as some 425 African migrants remain detained aboard harbour cruise boats just outside Malta.
Being joined by more and more students during each passing visit, Cassar has now revealed plans to increase his protest’s size to follow the Fibonacci Sequence.
A mathematical series of numbers of massive historical importance, the Fibonacci Sequence is the closest approximation in integers to the logarithmic spiral series.
In the sequence, each next number is the sum of the two preceding ones, starting from 0 and 1. So far, the protest has already reflected the sequence with the recent appearance of three, five and eight protesters. The next numbers in the sequence are 13, 21, 34, 55 and 89… with the ratio only increasing as the sequence continues.
Xandru and the other protesters will be demonstrating on days that Parliament is in session, which means the next action will now take place on Monday.
Their message is simple: #LetThemIn.
The popular Fibonacci Sequence is being used as a template of how the Valletta demonstration is set to increase in size
“As citizens of a democratic country, we believe that fundamental human rights should be protected in every circumstance,” Cassar said earlier today following another day outside Parliament.
“We are also here as human beings, because we insist that the dignity of life should never be vilified in this manner, not even for a single day,” Cassar continued. “By means of this demonstration, we are calling for the 425 people being kept on these boats to be allowed to disembark at a safe port. Fundamental human rights should come first and foremost. Once these people have been allowed to disembark, the procedures to establish the right to asylum can take place.”
“We are present here to remind the Members of Parliament of the circumstances of these people incarcerated at sea, and, more so, of their responsibility in their role as elected representatives,” the young activist continued. “As was mentioned in a letter we presented to Parliamentarians a few weeks ago, today we are once again asking whoever is in a position of power and influence to make use of all the means possible to ensure that the situation changes, and as soon as
possible.”
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“The Government led by Robert Abela is keeping people hostage to political games. In doing so, it is breaching fundamental human rights and is in contempt of the dignity of human life.”
“I would like to make a sincere appeal to youths and students; we have given so much attention, and rightly so, to the degrading treatment, the disregard for human rights and the loss of life in the United States,” Xandru said. “It is encouraging to see youth understanding and participating in current affairs, expressing our disapproval of that which is unjust. I encourage youths and students who feel that the treatment of these 425 is unjust to contact us on Facebook Messenger, to join us next week, when more people will be here.”
“In solidarity with these people, and for the sake of the protection of human rights and human lives, myself along with other students are going to keep protesting till these people are allowed to disembark,” Cassar finished. “Once again, I encourage those of goodwill to contact us on Facebook Messenger.”
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