PM condemns violent incidents

A visibly irate Prime Minister yesterday deplored the attacks on journalists, clashes with the police and threats against the government that occurred during the hunters' demonstration in Valletta on Wednesday.

He was speaking to the Maltese press outside a meeting of the European People's Party a few kilometres from Brussels.

Meanwhile, senior police sources said several hunters could be arraigned in the coming days, although no arrests were made until yesterday.

Police and journalists were assaulted after thousands of hunters walked towards Parliament and found the area cordoned off by the police.

Photographers' equipment was damaged or stolen, glass bottles were hurled, and a photographer of The Times had to be treated in hospital as hunters rallied for their cause.

The hunters' behaviour elicited a chorus of disapproval and condemnation from several organisations although the hunters' federation (FKNK) downplayed the incidents.

In a statement, the FKNK said it appreciated the fact that despite the hunters' "precarious situation" no incidents were reported during the actual protest.

However, it condemned incidents that took place "after" the protest, although it claimed these could have been triggered by the provocation of certain individuals. The federation thanked the hunters for turning up in their thousands.

BirdLife Malta executive director Tolga Temuge said he was not surprised hunters had attacked journalists, photographers and police. FKNK's statements and website over the last few months acted as a channel to fuel such actions, Mr Temuge claimed.

During the hunters' rally in Valletta, some hunters were seen carrying shotguns in clear violation of Legal Notice 79, BLM said.

The legal notice prohibits the carrying of shotguns out of their case outside the hunting season and in places where hunting is prohibited.

The Environment Ministry condemned the violence. It said the government was appealing for balance from all parties, adding that physical and verbal violence would not help.

In a statement, Nationalist Party general secretary Joe Saliba said it was unacceptable that certain individuals believe they could obtain their objectives by force.

The Labour Party said that "the few protagonists" in Wednesday's incidents did not do justice to the absolute majority of hunters and trappers.

The Professionals and Services Employees Union condemned the attacks on the police and journalists and insisted that under no circumstance should workers ever be threatened or assaulted.

Moviment Graffitti said the "might is right" attitude has become synonymous with several hunters on past occasions, which attitude was consolidated in Wednesday's protest.  

Standard Publications Ltd, Media.link, Union Print and Mediatoday also condemned the incidents.