15 in court after Hamrun feast incident

Graham Crocker

Sep 26th 2008, 15:50

Feasts shouldn't be banned, yes its a bit ironic that brawls are common in religious feasts, but then again they are not as religious as people seem to think, because its Saint worship.

Just like some said, banning something, because of the risk of a brawl, means Paceville establishments would need to close and alcohol be made illegal, which is completely nuts.

Feasts are also a tourist magnet, a relative of mine came over from UK and he went to the St Julian's feast and he really enjoyed all the chaos to him, to him it was a laugh. If a tourist sees a punch up they don't get scandalised because, after all these things happen in their country without feasts.

Banning feasts would not stop people from brawling. Just as long as people brawl with their fists and not weapons, I think feasts are worth keeping.

Maruska Agius

Aug 13th 2008, 20:49

@ all Anti Outdoor Activities during local Festas

If you have a close look at the time of the dispute, you realise that all activities had ended by that time. It clearly shows how Hamrun feast is stigmatised because many years ago a big fight erupted... if I am not mistaken, that was late 80's or early 90's. No one mentioned the fight in Zebbug last June!!!

K Bonello

Aug 13th 2008, 16:25

@ all you anti-culturalists

If you live in Malta (and happen to go out once every so often) you would certainly know that a number of well known bars and/or entertainment buildings around the island endure fights in their parties regularly. Most of these fights never make the news. This one did make the news because it happened to be on the same day of the stigmatised feast of Hamrun - and yet you were impressed.

Thousands of people celebrated peacefully together all week long in the same locality and yet you feel that just because of a minor incident, involving just 15 people, in a bar, which is completely unrelated to all the organisations involved in the organisation of the same feast, you demand a stop to the most important cultural events remaining on this island.

Several fights in stadiums have occured: Should we stop football matches too and demolish our stadiums?

Brawls in Paceville: Should we close Paceville establishments down?

Should we oust the Government in a coup and start a fundamentalist state?

This country is risking ending up like Pink Floyd's Wall.

Paul Borg

Aug 13th 2008, 13:17

I think it is about time that feast outdoor activities are suspended.

We have not yet made clear guidelines on fireworks, storage and manufacturing. This has caused unnecessary tragedies. Band Marches have become the occasion for lawlessness.

Theretore let all outdoor venues related to feasts be suspended. Those who want to truly celebrate and take part can go to church

J.Galea

Aug 13th 2008, 13:11

This is a feast related incident.
If there were no feast ,there would be no parties in local bars and no incidents of this kind taking place.

John Portelli

Aug 13th 2008, 11:32

And everyone make a big fuss when there is a little fight in Rabat Gozo over the local feast. So both Maltese and Gozitans act the same way.

A. Bonnici

Aug 13th 2008, 10:32

in pure Maltese, "nies li vera m'ghandhomx jghamlu"

all this fuss over a festa...

A. Borg

Aug 13th 2008, 08:06

@ Joe Galea - I can only recall hearing a "haqq" in local festas. Never heard it at work or while I was walking in the street or when someone erroneously does not halt his vehicle on a Stop sign and then s/he gracefully admits their fault. Blasphemy happens only in feasts... Well may be you should start going out and have a walk in your neighbourhood.

@G. D'Amato - You are right. Leave the festas and those working (most of them VOLUNTARILY) in it and do leave Archbishop Cremona to do his work. I guess he proved to be a very good pastor and decision maker till now without our help!!!

@John Mifsud - I totally agree with you. Too much people are getting insane. Everyone can do anything without being convicted. For example beating a teacher would only cost you some €20 if your son was corrected to be civilised. What a lesson!!

@editor - Why was "Hamrun feast" mentioned in this article if this incident had no connection with the feast? Is there some hidden agenda behind all this?

Sandro Agius

Aug 12th 2008, 22:41

Don't blame the church for things done by false pagan pharisees. They are not believers but just pagans. I think the church should stand and do something so not to let the carnival acts happen inside the church...on the other things we shall leave to justice to work.

John Mifsud

Aug 12th 2008, 19:10

The crux of the problems (not only this one) in this country is the ever increasing lack of discipline and the ever increasing lack of ability to administrate discipline and this does not go only in the case of village feasts but to all spheres of life be it entertainment or whatever. Without discipline what can one expect?

Denis Catania

Aug 12th 2008, 15:13

@George D'Amato: Well said.

D.MANGION

Aug 12th 2008, 15:05

If religious festas should one day be banned, people will still find a way to "party". Community partying is one intrinsic characteristic of the Mediterraneans. Then people will party in the name of the gay communities, football results, love celebrations, ect. Has anybody been to a mass meeting (front zones) during the peak of the elections run ups. Most of the youths attending, wouldn't give a damn about what is being said. They'd be only interested in finding a good opportunity for some easy booze and sex. (not all but a good amount of them).
The elder ones would be only interested in showing off their hatred for their rivals. So should we then ban mass meetings?
Maybe we should all stick to our laptops and enjoy life hitting the keys, from the comfort of our "MEPA-approved" villas...what an interesting future lies ahead of us !

K Bonello

Aug 12th 2008, 13:21

The incident was in no way connected to the feast. It happened in a bar, way after the morning marches had ended, on the outskirts of the parish in a private party thrown by the owner of the bar. The title is completely misleading. Neither band club nor the parish had anything to do with the brawl.

Joe Galea

Aug 12th 2008, 08:05

The Archbishop Cremona should resist these shameful feasts rather than resisting divorce.

Normally during feasts you hear "Viva San....." and "haqq il-....."....pffff....very devoted people indeed!!!

M Brincat

Aug 12th 2008, 01:18

@Franco Farrugia .............Will Archbishop Cremona follow the policy set by his predecessor and cancel next year's feast of St Gaetan in Hamrun, after these incidents!!!!! lol joke of the YEAR Viva San Gejtanu

Andrew Camilleri

Aug 12th 2008, 00:45

The incident took place a good hour after the end of the morning activities. Also it occurred in front of an unfortunately notorious bar in Hamrun. It has nothing to do with the feast which was very calm.

The police and Curia have implemented restrictions on band clubs with regards to outdoor festivities etc however these restrictions have been bypassed by the phenomenon of after parties at 3rd party bars. These parties should be banned as most of the trouble occurs over there

A. Brincat

Aug 11th 2008, 22:58

@Jeremy J Camilleri.

You are totally wrong about the Marsascala Parish Priest (not Archpriest), Everyone knows that he always enjoyed a very good reputation throughout the three years that he had been in Marsascala. I suggest that you visit WIED IL-GHAJN (Marsascala), and have a look at the good works which he has done during the said period. That name of that man (Apostle) was Thomas (sic)... No one can judge, so that he may not be .... If you have seen both sides of the coins you could have a vivid picture of what had happened earlier in Marsascala. I must remind you that today's article which appeared in today's issue of the TIMES (15 in court after Hamrun feast incident) has nothing to do with your arguments. Thallatx il-Hass mal-BUS (sic)!!! And finally you have to define between MINESTRA and KAWLATA. Good night and sleep well!

A. Brincat

George D'Amato

Aug 11th 2008, 22:16

Hands off our festas! All you festa haters go to town when something like this happens. This incident has no connection with the Festa. But your heart goes out for these people. Incidents like this happen every other day in our famous entertainment places. Not to mention the weekly arrest of drug users and small pushers after every party where our youngsters are skinned alive. Let people take to the streets to celebrate the victory of every foreign team. They have a right to do so. Let supporters take over the street to celebrate their team's victory. Why not poor people. But not the wicked festa people. Stop their feasts. Ban church bells tolling. Stop the church clock chiming. Festa people have no rights. What is you hidden agenda? Is it hatred of the Church? And have the decency to leave our Archbishop out of this. Just leave us in Peace.

Denis Catania@yahoo.com

Aug 11th 2008, 21:42

More than half weren't even from Hamrun. Why are is everybody dissing on Hamrun and their feast. This sounds like an after feast party gone bad. What I don't understand is 15 arrests happened. The Transit strike only had 17. Something is wrong with this picture.Five minutes of disturbance gets 15 arrests. Four days of rioting, resisting arrests,attacking soldiers, attacking Castille and so on gets 17 arrests. I don't get this. Do you Police commish John Rizzo? I'm not condoning any violence.

Ronnie Gauci

Aug 11th 2008, 21:29

Morning marches should be abolished once and for all by the Church, apart from having nothing to do with the patron saint or with anything sacred they are nowadays renowned for half naked people, blasphemies and alcohol consumption with some violent episodes now and then. I must also remark that a local feast for a village with less than 5,000 inhabitants does't need to be weeks long which is the case of most local festas, 2 to 3 days is more than enough, but we all know that festas are a business nowadays for many shop owners and the church as well.

Franco Farrugia

Aug 11th 2008, 21:06

I would rather you had fireworks than the traditional blasphemous chants just in front of the parish church!

A. Borg

Aug 11th 2008, 21:02

I cannot understand why so many people hate feasts? Feasts are for celebrating the patron saint, a rare occasion to meet with family and friends and a reason to take leave from work and dedicate some time for yourself. So many feast committees, so many band committees, so many youths working VOLUNTARILY (I almost forgot this word!!!) for the real feast all year round are being given a hard time by those who are not familiar with the organisation of village feasts.

Feasts should be given their PROSIT for keeping a hefty number of youths occupied in societies (band, feast, fireworks etc...). It is UNJUST to associate every incident happening in a locality where the feast happens to take place to the local partisan politics which seem to have lessened over the years.

Moreover one should notice that the people involved come from all over Malta and not from Hamrun!!! Food for thought for those who started (and those who continued) this fallacious blog...

Anton Zammit

Aug 11th 2008, 20:21

We had a great feast in Hamrun yesterday, and a very religious one at that as well. An example to many villages celebrating their feasts all over the island! Thousands of people attended all week and the behavior during the whole feast was impeccable. This of coarse carries no news value for 'The Times', the only item worth printing was of some minor incident totally unconnected with feast. Before any senseless comments are posted here one should have visited our joyful celebrations and seen for himself what civilized celebrations are all about!

J. Fiorentino

Aug 11th 2008, 20:19

A notice on the facade of a building right in front of the Attard Parish church reads: VODKA : PAY FOR ONE, GET TWO. All this, in honour of SANTA MARIA, I assume.....

Jeremy J Camilleri

Aug 11th 2008, 20:10

Let me decide what is kawlat, and what is minestra, or would you like to decide for me? people like you usually do....

If you had read the previous blogs as with regards to m scala and village feasts in general you would have got it...as things stand, you obviously did not

But just for your benefit....
These people stated that village feasts should be religious in nature and were horrified that anything commercial or non treligious should take place on the same day..

Now, if the archpriest of mscala was right in threatening to ban the feast for fear of it losing its religious aura...well....the then, true soldiers of Christ should clamour now for the ban of marches,kiosks etc....


Get it now? Didn't think you would...

Mario Bonnici

Aug 11th 2008, 19:47

@Franco Farrugia
This incident had nothing to do with the festa or the two band clubs. Everything happened after the marches were over near a bar far from high street Hamrun.
The only problem is that when the marches are over many parties are being organised in various bars, parties that keep going on till 6pm.

John M.A.Saliba

Aug 11th 2008, 19:43

Leave our feast alone…. We have a great feast… all those that attended the feast from all over Malta know that. We never bother to write in the papers about other feasts. We manage to celebrate our feast without any fireworks… This incident has nothing to with the feast… it is a police matter and it happened in particular street after the end of the Sunday Morning band marches and far away from the center of Hamrun. Please leave our feast alone…..

fred sultana

Aug 11th 2008, 19:38

this particular incident happened an hour after the feast and not during . it took place during a street ''''party''' in front of a bar in st francis street.

P Borg

Aug 11th 2008, 19:25

Shame on The Times for not having the decency to dedicate 10cm of the newspaper to report the beautiful feast which all Hamrunizi celebrated yesterday. Thousands of them, I mean, including Hamrunizi who came from abroad just for this annual event

Now they're reporting this incident which involved 15 people, an incident which in no way was connected to the feast but which happened far away from our Strada Reale at a time when everything was over (around 4.30pm).

A bigger shame to The Times if my comment is censured.

Franco Farrugia

Aug 11th 2008, 18:39

Will Archbishop Cremona follow the policy set by his predecessor and cancel next year's feast of St Cajetan in Hamrun, after these incidents? Or will the Curia have two weights, two measures?
One will recall that - rightly! - Archbishop Mercieca used to cancel a village feast the moment there was any sort of trouble.
One hope now that the new Archbishop will show his mettle here as well - unless he is too taken up with the divorce issue.

A Brincat

Aug 11th 2008, 18:23

@ Jeremy J Camilleri.
What has to do "minestra" with "kawlata?" A simple advice to my friend, Jeremy - There is nothing synonimous with Marsascala village and Hamrun! Let sleeping dogs lie and let us grow up and respect all civil rights. Best regards to you.

A. Brincat

J. Camilleri

Aug 11th 2008, 18:13

This incident is not linked to the village feast. There are a few bars in Hamrun that throw parties on the feast day, starting from around noon, often packed with young teens and playing very loud music. I blame this incident on the police force for allowing such parties to take place every year, at the same bars, and not closing them down. They are allowing an open market for drug dealers to happen publicly, with lots of teens becoming victims to a few well known drug dealers. Any person from Hamrun can name at least 1 bar where such things happen. The police should do something before it's too late don't you think?

Gejtu Stivala

Aug 11th 2008, 17:52

That's great news! Lately I was becoming afraid that this old tradition was over. Dak flixkun gej ghal rasi?! Viva San Gejtanu!

J.Galea

Aug 11th 2008, 17:36

All these outdated (called town feasts) must all stop once and for all.We will have no more loud booms , no more human beings killed by fireworks, no more fights.On some occasions people wait for a moment like this to get into trouble purposely.

Jeremy J Camilleri

Aug 11th 2008, 17:28

My previous comment should have read....

I wonder if the people so vehemently attacking the Marsascala shop owners not too long ago, shall contribute anything in THIS blog, having claimed that the village feast should be religious....

L.Galea , J.Farrugia,agrech...we eagerly await your comments......

Jeremy J Camilleri

Aug 11th 2008, 16:58

I wonder if the people so vehemently attacking the Marsascala shop owners not too long ago, when they claimed that the village feast should be religious....

L.Galea , J.Farrugia,agrech...we eagerly await your comments......

P. Vincenti

Aug 11th 2008, 16:33

Well, I am sure that this lot have impresed St Gaetan. Negatively that is.

Joe Tabone-Adami

Aug 11th 2008, 16:29

"Ad Cajetanis majorem gloriam". Were the Archbishop's words, about celebrating our Saints' feasts in Christian joy, all in vain? Did they fall on deaf ears? Was this 'Christian joy'?