Memory cards 'confiscated'

Maltese and foreign press photographers had their digital camera memory cards confiscated during the incidents at Ta' Qali national stadium on Wednesday night.

Competitiveness Minister Censu Galea and two Malta Football Association officials had to be treated for injuries. The police said 16 officers, Maltese supporters and three Croatian fans were also injured during the incidents. Over 100 Croatian supporters were arraigned yesterday.

As disorder broke out, photographers on the pitch turned their cameras towards the stand to capture the incidents. But after they had been shooting for a while, policemen and a number of men in plain clothes ordered the photographers to stop shooting claiming that if published the photos could tarnish Malta's reputation.

"We were asked to hand over our memory cards. When we refused, some policemen said they were following orders. MFA security personnel also threatened to confiscate our equipment," The Times photographer Darrin Zammit Lupi said.

Croatian photographer Zeljko Lukunic claimed that the police and stadium security men confiscated his memory cards and damaged his lens when they pushed him against a wall.

"A policeman told me to erase the photos in his presence. I obeyed but stadium security people still took my cards," Mr Lukunic said.

Mr Lukunic said he saw two Croatian colleagues - another photographer and a cameraman - having their memory cards and tapes confiscated after being "manhandled".

He said he was ashamed by the behaviour of the Croatian supporters but said he had never been in a situation where his equipment was confiscated.

When contacted, MFA president Joe Mifsud said no orders had been given to confiscate memory cards.

"It does not seem to me that our people did anything like that," Dr Mifsud said when confronted with what the photographers were saying.