Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1511521
4 NEWS 4 CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 The Prime Minister said he had no doubt on the council's good will, saying the trees are ear- marked for relocation in line with experts' recommendation. "They will not be replaced with concrete," Abela remarked. Moviment Graffitti activist An- dre Callus was dragged away by police officers as he tried to pull down a metal barrier put up by workers to cordon off the area. Callus was cuffed and taken to the nearby police station but was released soon after. In comments to MaltaToday, he said the activ- ists did not want to target the po- lice. "The only responsibility falls on the mayor […] and ERA," Callus said. Reacting to Callus's brief de- tainment, Abela said the right to peacefully protest should always be respected. "I respect the determination he shows in fighting for the cause he believes in," Abela said. Abela said he will invite Callus for a meeting. Callus's arrest and the attempts by police officers to drag activ- ists away from the area was con- demned by Nationalist MP Beppe Fenech Adami in parliament. La- bour MP Randolph De Battista also expressed solidarity with Cal- lus, insisting he was ignoring the advice of those who urged him to bite his tongue. "It is unacceptable to arrest ac- tivists during a peaceful protest. It is not acceptable in a democracy," Fenech Adami said. "This is the situation we have in our coun- try: we have a police force which forcibly removes activists during a peaceful protest, and refuses to arrest criminals." Activists and Mosta residents convened early on Constitution Street outside the Mosta Dome on Tuesday morning, in protest at the wholesale pruning of the large trees that overhung the main bus stop. The ficus trees are earmarked for transplanting to another area in Mosta to make way for less inva- sive indigenous trees as part of the main square's regeneration. The project is the brainchild of the La- bour-led Mosta council, howev- er, all councillors agreed with the transplanting of the trees. "The once picturesque pjaz- za that adorned the heart of our community will now be marred by the absence of its beloved trees," a Mosta resident told MaltaToday. "I can't stand it anymore. Don't they realise the impact this has on our health? The air that these trees provide, with all the pollu- tion here in the heart of Mosta... these are the only trees that help us breathe," complained a long- time resident of the area. As workers proceeded to dis- mantle the remnants of the bus stop and poles left in the area, residents stopped to question the decision-making process that led to the removal of these trees from the area. On Monday, the Environmental and Resources Authority said the local council was merely "trans- planting" the ficus trees to the Santa Margerita area in Mosta. Fi- cus trees are known for their har- diness, ERA said, and that these were being transplanted during the appropriate time of the year. However, BirdLife Malta said the removal of these trees poses a serious threat to the local bird population. A night-time mobile phone vid- eo showing a homeless bird colo- ny fluttering aimlessly around the pruned trees went viral on social media. "How could they have not known the role of these trees in the community? Was there not one councillor, just one that spoke up?" a Mosta resident asked. Members of Moviment Graffitti and other activists, including AD- PD chairperson Sandra Gauci and Labour mayor of Qala Paul Butti- gieg were also present. Callus, who is also a Mosta resi- dent, expressed his astonishment when workers began removing the trees they had known since childhood. "For us, the Mosta square is the square with these trees. With- out any valid reason, they started chopping them down," he stated. Referring to the purported rea- son of "professional landscaping" as justification for replacing the trees, Callus explained that, based on conversations with residents, the idea has been met with scep- ticism and resistance from the community. "This is our square; they had no right to cut down these trees, which are so important for us Mo- sta locals and for everyone who visits the locality," Callus added. Recalling the summers spent watching people socialise and chat under the same trees now being chopped, Callus argued that no replacement could serve the same purpose. But not all Mosta residents are opposed to the relocation of the ficus trees. "It's okay, a more attractive and practical tree can be planted now... like oranges. If I had a say in this, I would choose oranges, sim- ilar to what they do in Turkey," an elderly Mosta resident told this newspaper. The man, who worked as a street sweeper before retiring, highlight- ed the inconveniences posed by the trees. "Parking your car becomes an is- sue, as it gets dirty with bird drop- pings. It was practically impossi- ble to use the sidewalk due to the overgrown roots, and during the spring, the whole area would be filled with seeds," he argued. On the other side of the road, a group of men sipping coffee, while looking at the protestors, expressed a contrasting viewpoint with a half-smile. They dismissed the activists' concerns, stating that they are against progress. "They are just trees, they are going to be moved," a man said. "They should calm down a bit," he added, pointing at the activists before accusing them of working with the Opposition "to hinder the country's success". Activists remained on site throughout the night and a pro- test is planned for this evening at 6:30pm in front of the Mosta local council office. Additional reporting Nicole Meilak 'Our square': Activists, locals protest Mosta trees uprooting The local council said the ficus trees were to be transplanted to another area (Photos: James Bianchi / MaltaToday)