A lawyer and father of four is setting up a pressure group to confront the “lawlessness in Paceville” and instil a sense of security in the entertainment hotspot after his son was attacked by six thugs.
Anthony Farrugia has already rallied the support of parents, club owners and residents to pressure authorities into ensuring youngsters and tourists can enjoy themselves in a safe environment.
“My son had a lucky scrape... I’m ashamed that as a lawyer and a father it has taken me so long to do something. We have a responsibility towards society and this is urgent,” he told The Sunday Times.
The incident that sparked Dr Farrugia’s determination to try and prevent violent incidents in Paceville occured last Wednesday night when his 22-year-old son leapt to the defence of a young tourist whose handbag was stolen.
When he returned the bag, a gang of six thugs, mostly foreign, turned against him and threatened him with a glass. His girlfriend, anticipating a fight, tried to intervene but she was pushed to the floor and kicked.
Instinctively, his son threw himself on her to protect her from the blows, and the gang repeatedly kicked and punched him. They cowered away when he stood up and confronted them. Luckily, both escaped with just cuts and bruises.
This incident was one too many for Dr Farrugia and he felt compelled to write an opinion piece in yesterday’s The Times, where he slammed the “notorious ineptitude of policing in Malta’s main entertainment area”.
Dr Farrugia has received overwhelming support following the article, but he is keen to stress that his son’s incident is not the sole driver behind his actions, as it was “comparatively minor”, but he had had enough of hearing about the skirmishes in Paceville from worried parents and his children.
“There is a sense of lawlessness in Paceville... The ugliness about the place is that people say, ‘it’s Paceville, what do you expect’. Should we be warning our children not to do their civic duty and avoid intervening to help someone else?” he asked.
Dr Farrugia said nobody should advocate the law of the jungle, nor should it be a vigilante state, but the police presence in the area should be stepped up and police patrols had to be visible. The basic principle of policing was prevention and protecting people’s safety.
“This half square mile of Malta is unregulated. It’s a shameful situation and all the more offensive because we are talking of something that can easily be solved through basic police strategies if the resources in quantity and quality are made available,” he said.
Paceville, he stressed, was a zone with particular exigencies and should be treated the same way police dealt with events such as important football matches where trouble could be expected.
When contacted, Home Affairs Minister Carmelo Mifsud Bonnici condemned the incident, and insisted the authorities were not complacent.
“We understand the anger behind such incidents. But I believe the police force are doing their utmost and doing a good job there (in Paceville). Of course, we’ll remain vigilant and review the situation,” he said, confirming police were already investigating this incident.
Dr Mifsud Bonnici defended the force insisting police presence was always stepped up ahead of summer, while attempting to strike a balance so as not to become a police state.
“We are constantly assessing the situation in Paceville, especially since a huge influx of people visit in summer. Should we step up police presence further? Let’s look into it and see how best we can use our resources,” Dr Mifsud Bonnici said.
The recurring incidents in Paceville have been an age-old problem. Is Dr Farrugia optimistic the pressure group can achieve its goals?
“I am hopeful we will bring about change, because I’m determined and I’m not going to stop.”
Incidents in Paceville in the past 10 months
July 16, 2011. A bouncer is hurt as he tried to break up a fight.
July 9, 2011. Four Italians, two Brazilians and two Spanish students are involved in a brawl over football and consequently arraigned for resisting police.
June 29, 2011. A police constable is assaulted after trying to break up a fight.
May 20, 2011. A young British woman and her two male friends are attacked by a man after she told him to stop punching his girlfriend.
April 10, 2001. A hold-up is carried out by two men on a shop in Ross Street.
March 31, 2011. A 27-year-old Spaniard is found on the floor with serious injuries in Wilġa Street.
December 5, 2010. A 26-year-old Libyan is stabbed in the chest and leg.
November 22, 2010. A Youtube video is uploaded showing a fight outside a pizza place close to Bay Street.
October 23, 2010. A 33-year-old man is beaten and found lying unconscious in Dragonara Road.
October 3, 2010. A 30-year-old man and her French partner are beaten in an unprovoked attack.
October 9, 2010. A 17-year-old boy is rescued from St George’s Bay after jumping in to escape a gang of seven youths.