Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1196490
7 NEWS Graffitti's coming of age In contrast to Repubblika it is the complete lack of political ambiguities and partisan or factional affiliations, which distinguish Graffitti, the other civil society movement that thrived and flourished through 2019. Through its 25-year-long history of activism, this movement has distin- guished itself for protesting under both Nationalist and Labour governments, thus gaining credibility among the non- partisan segment of the population. It also enabled Graffitti to work closely with both Labour and Nationalist-led local councils in challenging develop- ment projects. While its left-wing ideology and counter-cultural traits does alienate a segment of moderate and conservative non-partisans, it has definitely contrib- uted to the movement's longevity by giving activists a strong sense of pur- pose and comradeship. Moreover circumstances could not have been more favourable for a move- ment which has openly questioned the dominance of business elites for the past quarter of a century. In this sense Graffitti was able to capture the mood of the country. In June hundreds joined a protest in front of the Malta Developers' Associa- tion lobby, following the collapse of a number of dwellings due to surround- ing excavations. The movement also gave a voice to the victims of these trag- edies while railing against the develop- ment frenzy which has disfigured and transformed a number of localities into a permanent construction site. In September a couple of thousands attended the "enough is enough" pro- test against over-development, held in cooperation environmental NGOs and groups representing residents and farmers. The protest was triggered by the approval of the Central Link Project which will see the eradication of 50,000 square metres of farmland. On the environmental front, crowd- funding initiatives in which Graffitti also took a leading role, led to the pres- entation of appeals and legal challenges to approved projects. While some were unsuccessful, like that against the Cen- tral Link Project which was confirmed on appeal, the perseverance of activists was rewarded when the court revoked the permit for the DB project due to a conflict of interest of a board member in a landmark decision which sent shiv- ers down the spines of the developers' lobby. Moreover on this front Graffitti has managed to reach out to Labour vot- ers disgruntled by the power of the construction industry. But the same group also showed a constructive side, welcoming aspects of the proposed rent reform proposed by the government to protect tenants. Recent events connected to the arrest of Yorgen Fenech, the scion of the Tu- mas family which has interests in both real estate and energy, have also ex- posed the fault-lines between politics, big business and organised crime, thus making Graffitti longstanding remind- ers on the power of big business even more pertinent. Graffitti reacted to the current crisis by organising a gathering for socialists in front of Castille and pre- sented an appeal signed by 350 "social- ists, leftists and progressives" express- ing " outrage at the current situation" in which "the business class has gained un- precedented power over politics, with resulting effects that are felt directly by the people". Writer Immanuel Mifsud, who gave a strong speech denouncing "the failed neoliberal experiment" and calling for a new republic addressed the gathering amongst others. Prior to the arrest of Yorgen Fenech, Graffitti had kept its distance from pro- tests organised by Repubblika and Oc- cupy Justice, but as events unfolded in past month, the left-wing organisation dropped its reservations and started attending protests on its own terms without endorsing the more simplistic anti-Labour, patriotic or moralistic nar- rative. This showed an ability to see the bigger picture. Graffitti also distinguished itself by its disciplined occupation of the customer care area of Castille, confirming its ex- perience in conducting non-violent direct actions while keeping their cool and avoiding unnecessary confronta- tion with the authorities. Graffitti's future: Left Party or coalition builder? Despite Graffitti's successful run as a civil society movement, the question lingering in the mind of many activists is whether the time is now ripe for found- ing a left-wing political party which of- fers voters betrayed by Labour an op- tion. The need of a new party has been reinforced by the declining fortunes of Alternattiva Demokratika which had a bad performance in the MEP and local elections held earlier this year. Yet this will come at a major cost for a movement which has thrived as a coali- tion builder, which is confident enough to work with people across the partisan divide. The movement also faces a number of challenges, including opposition to pro- jects like road-widening and the Gozo tunnel, where it may not be in synch with the opinions of the majority. It also remains to be seen how Graffitti will fit in the post-Muscat political sce- narios, which may see Labour becoming less subservient to business interests and thus a more trusted interlocutor. Graffitti may also be seen as an inter- locutor by a more assertive left-wing faction in Labour. But this may prove problematic for a movement which is trusted by non-partisans because it has kept its distance from factional wars in other parties. It also remains to be seen whether convergence on constitutional and in- stitutional reform can be found between the different groups protesting against Muscat, and whether Graffitti can give such demands its imprint framed in a discourse of social justice. maltatoday | SUNDAY • 29 DECEMBER 2019 Bearing on these elections is also the threat posed by local far-right outfits whose inroads may further condition political debate in the country. PHOTOGRAPHY ZAK FARRUGIA Andre Callus PHOTOGRAPHY JAMES BIANCHI