Ten hunters, all men, were this afternoon remanded in custody on charges over the illegal protest on Sunday in Valletta.

The protest followed a government decision to close the hunting season after protected species were killed.

During the protest, attended by some 200 hunters, obscenities at the government and the Prime Minister. A Times of Malta reporter and two photographers were manhandled.

Later, two birdwatchers were injured in a clash with hunters in Buskett. One of them suffered facial injuries when he was assaulted, while the other was hit by a stone.

The first hunter to be arraigned was Christian Aquilina, 26, from Birkirkara, who pleaded not guilty to conspiring to commit a crime, inciting others to break the law and inciting them to disrespect the government.

He was also charged with not informing the Police Commissioner about the protest.

Mr Aquilina asked for bail but the prosecution objected. His lawyer, Raphael Fenech Adami, said that his client was not even present for the protest. All he did was post, on Facebook, that there was going to be a protest.

He was then contacted by the police who told him he needed a permit at which point he posted that the event was cancelled. His client had a clean criminal record and collaborated with police all the way.

Magistrate Marseann Farrugia remanded him in custody as there was the risk of tampering with evidence and urged the prosecution to summon witnesses to testify as soon as possible.

The other nine hunters were arraigned together. They were Alan Mizzi, 22, from Zebbug (Gozo), Oliver Borg, 42, from Marsasala, Krist Callus, 24, from Zurrieq, Brian Grech, 21, from Rabat, David Spagnol, 44, from Marsascala, Simon Camilleri, 26, from Zabbar, Arnold Farrugia, 21, from Dingli, Gabriel Farrugia, 19, from Mosta, and Josmar Buhagiar, 28, from Zabbar.

All pleaded not guilty.

They were charged with conspiring to commit a crime, inciting others to break the law, insulting the Prime Minister and forming part of an illegal protest during which they disrespected the government.

They were also charged with making obscene gestures, shouting threatening words about the Prime Minister and breaching the peace.

Arnold Farrugia and Gabriel Farrugia alone were also charged with the possession of a shotgun or imitation shotgun while committing a crime that threatened security.

Gabriel Farrugia was charged with the possession of protected species and committing a crime while on probation.

Arnold Farrugia, Brian Grech and Alan Mizzi were charged with hurling stones.

Krist Callus was charged with assaulting Times of Malta cameraman Mark Zammit Cordina and relapsing.

David Spagnol was charged with assaulting Times of Malta journalist Ivan Martin and photographer Chris Sant Fournier.

In 2004, Mr Spagnol had pleaded guilty to charges that he shot and killed three swans at St Thomas Bay, Marsascala. He was fined.

The incident happened two years earlier and Mr Spagnol’s elder brother and cousin, who also pleaded guilty to the same charges, were jailed.

Simon Camilleri was charged with committing a crime during the operative time of suspended jail term.

Lawyer Franco Debono said that if his clients would be denied bail because of the fear of tampering with evidence he would insist on the evidence being heard today.

Superintendent Carmelo Bartolo said that, in such a case, it was impossible to summon all witnesses today. He noted that these were serious offences that "should not happen in a civil society".

One had to keep in mind that such actions caused fear among the victims and the people in Valletta and Buskett, he said.

After taking some time to decide, the magistrate remanded them in custody.

As they were being taken out of the courtroom, a relative of one of the accused could be heard shouting "this is not justice".

On getting out of the building one of the relatives took off his shirt and another threatened cameramen on site. The relatives also took a video of the cameramen present. "If you can, we can too," they said.

Superintendent Bartolo and Police Inspectors Daryl Borg, Jurgen Vella and Edel Mary Camilleri prosecuted.

Read more about developments following Sunday's protest here.