Neville Gafà Targets Daphne Caruana Galizia’s Legacy With ‘Free Speech’ Provocation At Valletta Memorial
Former government official and Joseph Muscat loyalist Neville Gafà has placed several placards at the makeshift memorial for Daphne Caruana Galizia in Valletta, in what he claims is a “free speech” test right before the anniversary of the journalist’s assassination.
The placards, positioned at the foot of the Great Siege Monument, feature printouts of articles critical of Caruana Galizia, including stories about domestic violence allegations and a VAT repayment issue. Gafà, who documented his actions in a blog post, framed the stunt as a challenge to activists’ tolerance for diverse opinions.
One placard contained a screenshot of a 2013 article with the title “Do by all means speak ill of the dead if they were influential in life” in which she made the case for people being able to celebrate the death of an oppressive public figure, in that case former Prime Minister Dom Mintoff.
Gafà held a number of roles within the Maltese government during Muscat’s leadership. He was often sent as an unofficial envoy to Libya, where he was involved in sensitive negotiations, including those concerning migration. Gafà’s name has been linked to a series of scandals, most notably allegations of his involvement in a Libyan medical visa racket. Despite accusations, he was never criminally charged, but his tenure under Muscat remains synonymous with the murkier side of the administration’s dealings, both locally and abroad.
Writing on his blog just 24 hours before people are set to gather at the makeshift memorial to mark the seven-year anniversary of Caruana Galizia’s assassination, Gafà said he had placed placards to test how well activists can respect other people’s freedom of expression.
“Through the display of placards highlighting pressing issues such as domestic violence and potential money laundering, I sought to illuminate crucial facets of Daphne’s life,” he wrote.
The memorial has been a point of contention ever since it was first put up. In the past government officials have been ordered to clear the memorial with the Constitutional Courts eventually deciding that this was in breach of freedom of expression laws.
Recently, Neville Gafà has turned to blogging, sharing his opinions on both local and international politics. While he frames his posts as exercises in free speech, the timing of this new venture raises questions. With Joseph Muscat facing potential charges in court and Yorgen Fenech soon standing trial for Daphne Caruana Galizia’s murder, Gafà’s renewed public presence suggests he may be laying the groundwork for damage control.
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