A young Sudanese man has decided to speak out against the treatment of black people in Paceville after bouncers stopped him from entering two night clubs.

He also claimed the police discouraged him from filing a report about the incidents and told him security workers "had every right" not to let him in.

Zakaria Adam Al Noor, 21, was in Paceville on March 29, with several friends from Holland, Sweden and France. While his European friends were allowed into two clubs, he and his fellow African friend were stopped and refused entry.

"This was not the first time it happened. I do not go to Paceville often. But, when I do, I always find it difficult to get into clubs unless I'm with Maltese friends who know the bouncers.

"Our friends were very surprised. When they asked the bouncers why we were not let in, one of them said that Africans were dirty, sick people who cause a lot of problems."

Mr Al Noor claimed that at one point the bouncer pushed his friend aggressively and then picked up a glass bottle, hurled it towards him and his friend and it shattered on a wall nearby.

He decided to file the police report since this time there were a number of witnesses who heard the bouncers openly talking about the racist club policy.

But Mr Al Noor claimed the police immediately told him not to bother filing a report because bouncers had a right to choose who to keep out of their clubs.

Eventually, he persuaded the police to file his report because of the bottle incident.

"The police told me the bouncer should not have thrown the bottle at us and said he would give him a warning. I told him we should go at once to speak to him together, but he said there were only three policemen at the station and he couldn't leave."

When contacted, police said Mr Al Noor and his friend were noted to be under the influence of alcohol, both at the police station and at the club - which is why he was not let in. This was denied by Mr Al Noor who is even willing to testify in court.

The police also said their inquiries showed there was no breach of discrimination laws.

"The police spoke to the bouncer who denied all the allegations made by the complainant and stated that Mr Al Noor was noted to be under the influence of alcohol and was advised to return home."

The police also cited legislation that empowers bars to turn away people who are drunk.

A spokesman for the Justice Ministry said the new Bill related to bouncers specifically stated they were permitted to deny patrons entry for a number of reasons.

Human rights lawyer Therese Comodini Cachia said the Equal Treatment of Persons Order of 2007 prohibited racial discrimination when it came to the offering of services or goods.

Such refusal makes one liable on conviction to a fine of not more than €1,000 or to imprisonment of not more than six months, or both.

"A person who has been so discriminated may either ask NCPE to investigate, or sue before the civil courts. To date I am not aware that any complaint has been made in this regard before the courts."

She said those responsible for the establishment should not permit such harassment and must prove in court that they took steps to ensure against it.

Figures published in parliament recently show four people have been charged in court with racist crimes in the past 10 years.

However, Mr Al Noor insisted not all Maltese people were racist and that he had made many friends along the years, including a family that took him in as their own.

He came to Malta by boat when he was just 16 and in the past five years was given subsidiary protection, found a stable job and became fluent in Maltese.

However, he still feels unsafe and knows he will eventually leave Malta, even though he wishes he could settle here until the situation in his country improves.

"You find racist people all around the world. But in other European countries racism is not tolerated the way it is in Malta. In other countries, if your colleague harasses you because of the colour of your skin they will be punished."

cperegin@timesofmalta.com