Tourists on a double-decker bus had their sightseeing tour cut short when the vehicle was surrounded by striking drivers in Pietà yesterday morning.
This was one of a number of incidents which showed tourists an ugly side of the island, making taxi, coach and mini-bus drivers who continued with their daily duties feel threatened by public transport drivers taking part in a nationwide strike.
Nazzareno Abela, owner of Ċanċu Supreme Garage, had to fork out about €8,000 to repair the windscreens of three coaches used to transport tourists which, he said, were destroyed by groups of drivers yesterday morning.
The incidents were condemned by the Malta Hotels and Restaurants Association, with president Kevin DeCesare describing them as "madness" and asking what tourists have to do with the dispute.
"As MHRA we cannot understand why anybody would attack a bus with tourists that support their livelihood. The damage they are doing is incalculable," he said.
Foreigners looked on in awe as scores of policemen arrived at Valletta Waterfront where the striking drivers had surrounded a chauffeur-driven taxi, stopping it from leaving.
The drivers - some sitting on the pavement - jeered as busloads of policemen arrived on site, followed by Assistant Police Commissioner Josie Brincat.
The atmosphere remained tense for some time, with some expecting a scuffle between the police and the drivers, who were cornered by the 100-odd officers and applauded sarcastically as the black taxi left the port area.
"He's a strike breaker and he is taking work away from me," one driver shouted after Mr Brincat told the crowd that while they had the right to strike they should not break the law.
Although he is a member of the striking Mini Buses Cooperative, Joe Micallef, from MikalKris Ltd, is still working. "I do not agree with things being done in this way but in finding solutions following civil discussions," he said, adding that the strike was embarrassing Malta given the tourists present.
Mr Micallef said the cooperative was sending text messages to its members, threatening those who are not in Floriana (to join the strike) with a €233 fine.
Questioned about this, Transport Federation president Victor Spiteri said every organisation tries to get as many members as possible on board when organising a strike.
Emmy Farrugia, one of the directors of John's Garage, said they were having problems picking people up, with the strike causing them to lose money.
He expressed concern that if the strike - which entered its second day yesterday - drags on it will disrupt weddings falling on the weekend.
John Grech, from Wembley, said there is a level of tension, adding that the company would try to honour all its bookings.
Members of the Unscheduled Bus Service are also apprehensive of being on the road but were still doing their job, although they insisted they were not strike-breakers.
"Our work is in the tourist sector and we are just trying to do our job but we depend on police security," a spokesman for the association said.