Updated: Five injured in big fight in Zebbug

@Daisy Harrison

Excuse me, but we are all expressing our opinion like you did just now. So what is the matter with that? I don't see anything unfair about this at all.

Freedom of opinion and freedom of speech.

It is a credit to the people of Malta that they can co-exist, along with thousands of tourists, immigrants and ex-pats in one of the most densely populated places on earth with such low incidents of violent crime!

According to a U.S State dept web-site "Malta has a low rate of violent crime. Theft of unattended personal property and car stereos from vehicles is a common problem......pickpockets and purse snatchers. Such criminals focus on areas and establishments frequented by tourists. Caution is particularly urged in the Paceville nightclub area, where excessive drinking and poor crowd control have led to instances of violent behavior. Poverty, homelessness, and panhandling are almost non-existent in Malta. All visitors to Malta should practice the same good, common sense personal security precautions that are part of everyday life in urban areas within the U.S.......".

For those who like to compare : L.A. crime ref http://www.cityrating.com/citycrime.asp?city=Los+Angeles&state=CA.
Assault victims 1.1% in Malta; 1.2% U.S. (Ref http://www.nationmaster.com/country/mt-malta/cri-crime)
Also note that 35% of inmates in Maltese prisons are foreigners.
Constructive criticism and observations are useful and welcome, but Mr. Millam and Ms Harrison...Los Angeles...? ......PLEASE!!!

Re: Bill Millam's Comments.
The guy stressed an opinion that is all! and by some of the replies he got it goes to show how some can't have a fair discussion without it becoming a heated one!

@ Bill Millam

Violent and uncivilized people exist everywhere...but making a fuss about Malta being violent by your side is absurd.....so come on Mr Maths show us your statistics and give us a proof that L.A is safer then Malta ?

Proof your point with facts

@ Bill Millam

Just how are you compairing Malta with LA? Have you ever actually LIVED in Malta?

If you are so good in Math how about you give us the ratios???

Lets face it....violent and "uncivilized' people exist all over the world....even in LA

@Bill
I've tried many times to explain the rudiments of statistics to Maltese people. They do not understand and will always come back to the volume, not the per capita.
Malta has a higher rate of murder than most EU countries, including the UK,
Look on wikipedia for "List_of_countries_by_murder_rate". You'll find Malta at 1.75, below Germany, England, France, Italy, Australia, Niger, etc. Interestingly, Malta has a lower murder rate than Canada, my home country.
And what's with the line in the report "...also involved a number of other people, including women". Ah, so women are people too?

@ Mr Los angeles .. YOU MUST BE JOKING. I lived in various parts of usa including LA. and I never felt safe like most people ( americans ) that lived there and I knew otherwsie why do you all seem to own a GUN ???


@ all other MALTESE
Well it all boils down to one thing ...POLICE Force Attitude. Recently We had some trouble in the block where I live and i saw trouble brewing. I went to the police station to try and get them to help. Their attitude was, Once there is a fight call us and will come to calm things down. I mean "dude" by then someone might well be DEATH.

Unfortunately the prevailing attitude in this country is selfish, arrogant and abusive. When it reaches critical mass we get these snippets from a Bud Spencer movie.

This is a hot densely populated land and we really ought to try and be more considerate and tolerant towards others. As to metal pipes and knives, let's not get too creative with them.

@ Norbert Bugeja & J. Azzopardi,
Your comments are absured. First off, we here on a site called Times of Malta to discuss issues related to Malta and not Los Angeles, although I wil be more than happy to take you to task and talk about crime here if you so desire. And has either one of you lived here and do you talk from firsthand experience?
Just so that you know, Los Angeles county comprises an area that is well over 30 TIMES THE SIZE OF MALTA with a population that is MORE THAN 25 TIMES the entire population of Malta. This is JUST LOS ANGELES ONLY! What you guys should be talking about is the ratio of crime incidents in relation to the size of the population. Anyone with any brains doing his math will soon realize that it is much safer here, both statiscally and factually, than it is in Malta.
But then if you are happy with the unciviized way people settle their differences in Malta, hey, good luck to you all..

Bill Millam
Los Angeles

People in this country can do what he or she likes. There is no protection or any rights here. Neighbours can have dogs on their roofs littering the place and attracting diseases and mosquitoes; here is noise pollution everywhere with workers working form 7:00am shouting, swearing and no action is being taken. Neighbours can allow their children to shout in the streets in the early afternoon hot summer hours. Neighbours can have animals in their garages including chickens, dogs and others; with the nasty smells entering the buildings. All this happens and no action is being taken causing inapproprate behaviour on others. I appeal to the authorities concerned to have strict laws when it comes to populated private and government residences. Something has to be done otherwise it will be too late!!!!!!!

@ Bill Millam
Yes in fact we are changing Malta's name to Los Angeles !
We thank you for your concern about our little island considering you are miles away across two ponds. Lets not make a fuss out of everything. There are cities and places overseas where these things and much worst including murders occur every minute, including your Los Angeles which is better known as "Gang Capital of the Nation". I think we are very very far away from those credentials.

@J Oatman - 100% in agreement!

We cannot afford that this little 'peaceful' island goes to the dogs.

The Maltese seem to be getting less tolerant of each other while on the other hand simply do not care about anyone else. What's worse,many hold on to their bitter memories (instead of forgiving and forgetting) until either they take revenge or the situation explodes (not necessarily the case in this story, but it happens).

Such incidents are a danger to society and its stability and peace and as J Oatman rightly said, the forces of Law and Order must give out a clear message to discourage this sort of 'out-of-court-settlement-ala-maltija'.

This incident was reported just hours after another similar case. We're hearing of sad such stories every week. Many others do not make it to the news, so do not be tricked into thinking that this is an isolated case.

This is the result of a sick Maltese society. Most people are not interested in altruism and morality any more. The message being sent through some media is that everyone has a right to do what he feels is right and not what is morally and socially accepted. You harvest what you sow.

Violence is to be condemned at all times, however having to put up with some loud mouths and noisy neighbours, who do not even have any thoughts for the sick and inferm, let alone for anyone else, I can understand why these incidents boil over after a period of time....................

I don't know the reason for the fight either .....but violence is condemable any time


@Bill Millam ....it takes guts to write what you have wrote....if they publish all the violence guns knifes whatever else you have in your news papers in your country the newspapers will never be published in time.......as we say in maltese....Meta il gemel ra hotobtu waqa u miet zoptu ....(When the camel saw his own hunchback he died instantly)

Violence seems to be on the increase in Malta, the authorities need to send out a clear message that violence will is not acceptable.
We need to see proper sentencing for violence especially pre-meditated violence (people attacking others with guns, knives and lead pipes etc).

Those with criminal convictions in the past should get much harsher sentences.

We do not need more of these suspended sentences - which are just useless deterrents, and a joke for a hardened criminal, who uses a knife a lead pipe or gun etc. These 'people' need to be off the streets, not roaming around threatening decent people, just because the 'justice system' is scared to act and defend the weak.

I do not know the reason of this fight but can in some way assume that such situations sometimes start over petty matters, such as parking spaces, noise nuisances, littering, etc, in short shear selfishness and disrespect towards others, typically towards own neighbours.

What is up with all this crazy crap in Malta, lately? It seems that for the slightest misunderstanding, out come the knives, guns and whathaveyou! Just crazy!!!

Bill Millam
Los Angeles