Home Affairs Minister Glenn Bedingfield has responded to photos alleging indecent behaviour outside Ta’ Ġieżu Church in Valletta reignited debate over the state of the capital.The controversy began after the Facebook page ‘Knisja Ta’ Ġieżu – Patrijiet Franġiskani l-Belt Valletta’ shared a strongly worded post opposing the renewal of a nearby permit, alongside videos and photos showing explicit scenes outside the church.“It’s not just that we don’t want this permit to be issued, we want the illegalities and the noise in our street to stop,” the page wrote.The post went on to claim that while people can be fined for exposing their stomachs in public, “this filth on the steps of Ta’ Ġieżu Church in Valletta” continues unchecked.It also alleged that authorities have long been aware of the situation, saying police respond to noise complaints but that the volume is turned back up as soon as officers leave, while claiming that illegal tables remain in place despite repeated reports.According to the church’s page, the images were only published because they wanted to show the public “what’s really happening next to our church”.Responding to the backlash, Bedingfield said the footage being circulated does not reflect the current situation.“As a minister, I want to be honest, and I expect honesty,” he wrote, acknowledging that Valletta still faces challenges despite increased police patrols and the introduction of on-the-spot fines for offences including indecent attire.However, he stressed that the photos and videos shared online are more than a year old and that the activity shown had already been stopped.“It is not fair to give the impression that this is something currently happening,” the minister said.Bedingfield added that his office continues to act on complaints from residents and encouraged the public to keep reporting issues, saying authorities will continue working to address Valletta’s ongoing challenges.What do you make of this?•