Six years after a peaceful protest in Valletta, justice has been served for six young women who were targeted with violent threats.

On 15th June 2019, during the EU Summit meetings, the group staged a silent demonstration, holding a banner that read: “Welcome to Malta, where women are incubators.”

While the protest itself was entirely non-violent, it drew a wave of public reactions, including two particularly aggressive and threatening comments from men in their twenties. Concerned for their safety, the women, the youngest of whom was just 18 at the time, filed a police report. An investigation led to charges of hate speech against both individuals.

Over the last six years, supported by their lawyer Lara Dimitrijevic, the women attended multiple court hearings while awaiting the opportunity to testify. One of the accused admitted guilt and issued a public apology. The other repeatedly defied court orders and only appeared in court today, escorted by police.

This individual received a six-month prison sentence, suspended for two years, along with a personal guarantee issued to protect the activists.

Reflecting on the verdict, one of the women explained:

“What struck me most in court was that this man excused his violent remarks by claiming he had watched videos depicting abortion as the ‘ripping of a foetus to shreds.’ That is why he said we should be ‘ripped to shreds.’ These scientifically inaccurate materials, such as ‘The Silent Scream,’ mislead people into making violent statements. This is not how abortion happens, but misinformation in our schools fuels hostility.”