A photographer of The Times was yesterday threatened by a bus driver as he was taking pictures at the Valletta terminus.

The photographer had been standing at bay 15 photographing commuters boarding a bus, from the driver’s side. Suddenly, the driver turned round and stuck his tongue out at the photographer.

Both the photographer and the journalist accompanying him got the impression the driver was joking but in the next instant the driver stuck out his hand, grabbed the camera – which was strapped to the photographer’s neck – from the lens and shoved it in the photographer’s face. He then proceeded to threaten the photographer loudly: “You don’t take any photos of me. I will alight and gouge your eyes out.” He then got off his seat but the bus was chockablock and the commuters were blocking his exit.

The incident happened at 12.15 p.m. A report was filed at the Valletta police station.

An Arriva representative called the offices of The Times later to apologise about the incident.

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