Several to be arraigned

A number of people are expected to be arraigned in the coming days and face charges related to incidents that erupted during a protest meant to be a peaceful show of force in favour of hunting last week.

Police sources said a number of people who allegedly threw bottles during the protest had been identified from photographs taken by the police themselves. These people will be charged. Others will be accused of uttering verbal threats and throwing fire crackers.

The incidents, during which members of the police and of the media were injured, elicited widespread condemnation. A number of messages against the violence have even been posted on the website of the Federation of Hunters' and Conservationists.

Some spoke against the throwing of bottles and violence, against the chanting of slogans Viva l-Labour and also against slogans aimed at Environment Minister George Pullicino. One vowed not to attend another protest unless those who stirred up violence were expelled from the federation.

Others though, tried to tone things down, saying the incidents "were inflated by the media" or that they "were minimal considering the large number of people there were" and that "worst things could have happened". One suggested hunters could have been venting their anger against the police for the way they treat them on the field when enforcing hunting laws.

Many of those posting messages argued against involving politics in the matter as neither the Nationalist Party nor the Malta Labour Party can do anything for them now that Malta was in the EU.