Daphne Caruana Galizia: Thousands demand justice in Malta

The Maltese government has offered a large reward to anyone who can help uncover who killed the prominent blogger with a massive car bomb

Thousands of people have rallied in Malta to demand justice following the death of investigative journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia.

Ms Caruana Galizia died in a car bomb on Monday.

She was known for a blog where she accused top politicians of corruption.

Some politicians stayed away from the rally, including the prime minister, who said her family did not want him to come, and the leader of the opposition. But others were among the protesters.

"I know where I should be and where I should not be," Prime Minister Joseph Muscat told a radio interviewer a few hours before the event. "I am not a hypocrite."

The leader of the opposition, Adrian Delia, also stayed away, saying he did not want to "stir controversy".

Both men had been targets of Ms Caruana Galizia's reporting as she investigated alleged financial corruption in the wake of the Panama Papers leak.

• Caruana Galizia: Malta's anti-corruption warrior

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The government has offered a €1m (£890,000; $1.2m) reward for information about her murder.

President Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca was present at the demonstration, where people held Maltese flags and placards with slogans including "Crooks are everywhere" and "Journalists will not be reduced to silence".

One woman there, Francesca Aquilina, told AFP news agency that the authorities had "blood on their hands" while Carmelo Pace said politicians were only crying "crocodile tears".