Police investigating hateful YouTube clips

The police are investigating You Tube video clips showing people with physical and mental disabilities being taunted and harassed in Valletta, the police said yesterday.

One of the videos, which has been pulled off the video-sharing site, shows a man teasing a physically disabled woman on a bus. The woman tries to ward off the man poking fun at her and eventually breaks down in tears as the cameraman carries on filming despite her visible distress.

The National Commission Persons with Disability condemned the video, and asked the Police Commissioner to take all necessary action against this "hate-crime" that has been described as sickening.

Asked whether the case is being investigated, a spokesman for the police confirmed that an investigation was on adding: "The case is being investigated by the police cyber crime unit and is still ongoing, so it is not prudent to comment further."

The videos posted under the title Maltaspicuti show vulnerable people being followed around and ridiculed by a cameraman despite their insistence on being left alone.

As mocking lyrics play in the background of the edited video, a man teases a physically disabled woman on a bus.

According to the Criminal Code, a person guilty of harassment can get a one to three-month jail term and a fine ranging from €2,329 to €4,658.

The commission appealed to disabled people, their families and especially NGOs working in the sector to show solidarity with the victims of this new form of hate-crime by condemning the bullies and demanding suitable redress.