Beloved Mġarr Restaurant Facing Boycott Calls And Abuse After Owner Spotted At Protest
A beloved family restaurant situated in Mġarr is facing online abuse and boycott calls after its owner was spotted at yesterday’s protest.
In what seems like a throwback to life in Malta in the 80s, posts circulating on Facebook have been calling for the boycott of Il-Barri restaurant, coupled with a blurry photo of the owner at the protest and text that reads, “who are the violent ones?”
“Keep a place for me so that I come to eat there on Sunday,” the caption reads. “The owner of the Il-Barri restaurant during the protest was heard saying obscene words about the government and Labour supporters.”
“Good to know that’s your thanks to the Prime Minister for keeping your business alive during the pandemic, you should be ashamed of yourself,” Matthew Bongailas wrote.
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Bongailas’ post has since garnered hundreds of reactions and comments, with many sharing it to encourage a boycott of the restaurant.
“Did he name the restaurant after himself?” one of the comments reads.
“Good to know,” others wrote, while some simply said, “Boycott!”
“This is the owner of a restaurant in Mġarr, now we wait for the Police to take the steps and action they need to take,” a Facebook page called Mill-Arkivji tal-Partit Laburista wrote.
But people have already started to stand up for the targetted restaurant, with influencer Terry ta’ Bormla uploading a status appealing for people to support them.
“Come on friends, let’s all join forces together and leave a message of support for the owner of Il-Barri restaurant, I don’t know why there are all these personal attacks just because he’s expressing his opinion. We’re back to the 80s,” Terry Muscat wrote on Facebook.
“Next dinner out, I’m going there with my family. What did he do, steal millions from the country like Labour did?” Godwin Schembri wrote.
“Don’t worry, next weekend I’ll go eat there myself,” PN councillor Sean Gauci wrote.
“I’d better go eat there, he must have solid principles,” another comment said.
“Let’s go to Il-Barri, gladly!”
Lovin Malta also reached out to Il-Barri restaurant’s owner, who preferred not to comment at this point in time.
The protest, Tuna l-Isptarijiet Lura, was called by the Nationalist Party, following former party leader and MP Adrian Delia’s landmark win of his case against the Vitals-Steward hospital deal.
Do you think boycotting establishments due to their owners’ political opinions should be a thing of the past?
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