A man was slightly injured this afternoon when a heated argument turned into a brawl during a protest at Il-Maghluq, Marsaxlokk.
The incident happened as a number of Marsaxlokk residents and the locality's Mayor took part in a protest against camping at il-Maghluq.
Those taking part said the campers were taking up space and dumping rubbish. They also said they did not have sanitary facilities.
However the campers intervened. They insisted that they were not hindering anyone and they did not dump any rubbish - the rubbish in the sea flowed in with the current. They also argued that they used mobile toilets or the public convenience near by.
The Mayor said action could be taken against illegal camping by the Lands Department or Mepa. He praised those taking part in the protest for their civic responsibility.
Shortly after the Mayor spoke, an argument developed and one of those taking part in the protest was hit several times on his head and back by about five people before being chased off. Calm was then restored by the organisers and the police were called.