Tension was building up before and during the demonstration by hunters in Valletta on Independence Day, members of the Times of Malta newsroom testified yesterday in the case against nine men who took part in the protest.

There were threats, insults and throwing of objects, and two of the paper’s staff were assaulted, they told the court.

Journalist Ivan Martin said a group of hunters threatened him and one of them gestured that he was going to slit his throat.

Before the protestors started walking down Republic Street towards the Palace, he had spoken to some of them and they were “frustrated”. It was only later that they became aggressive towards him.

“Some were fine with my presence but some others were angry. One waved an imitation rifle while the protestors were walking and even pointed it at police officers,” Mr Martin recalled before Magistrate Antonio Vella.

Some even threw beer cans at the Valletta Labour Party club, which was closed at the time of the protest, he added.

When asked about police presence, Mr Martin said there were only four or five policemen at the time, when the demonstrators numbered some 200.

The protesters were calm at first but suddenly there was a commotion when they started objecting to him taking photographs with his mobile. Using threatening language, they insisted he was not to take photographs showing their faces.

Mr Martin said he saw a lot of items being hurled during the protest and a hot dog was even thrown at him.

He was testifying in the compilation of evidence against nine men: Alan Mizzi, 22, from Żebbuġ (Gozo); Oliver Borg, 42, from Marsascala; Krist Callus, 24, from Żurrieq; Brian Grech, 21, from Rabat; David Spagnol, 44, from Marsascala; Simon Camilleri, 26, from Żabbar; Arnold Farrugia, 21, from Dingli; Gabriel Farrugia, 19, from Mosta; and Josmar Buhagiar, 28, from Żabbar.

All nine are pleading not guilty to conspiring to commit a crime, inciting others to break the law, insulting and shouting threatening words at the Prime Minister, forming part of an illegal protest during which they showed disrespect towards the government, making obscene gestures and breaching the peace.

Arnold Farrugia and Gabriel Farrugia were also charged with the possession of a fake 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.

Mr Camilleri was charged with committing a crime during the operative period of a suspended jail term. Arnold Farrugia, Mr Grech and Mr Mizzi were charged with hurling stones.

Mr Callus was charged with assaulting Times of Malta cameraman Mark Zammit Cordina and relapsing while Mr Spagnol was charged with assaulting Mr Martin and Times of Malta photographer Chris Sant Fournier.

Mr Sant Fournier told the magistrate the hunters chanted songs and used foul language, particularly against Prime Minister Joseph Muscat and the Labour government. They were calling the Prime Minister pulcinell (clown).

He said one of the hunters asked who he was representing and when he said Times of Malta, he was asked whether the newspaper was “with them or against them”.

Mr Zammit Cordina, a videographer with timesofmalta.com, said he was filming the protest when, all of a sudden, someone he identified in court as Krist Callus covered the camera lens and pushed his equipment.

He also identified Gabriel Farrugia as the person who was holding an imitation shotgun.

Both Mr Martin and Mr Sant Fournier identified Mr Spagnol as the person who had threatened them. However, although he witnessed it, Mr Sant Fournier said he could not identify the person who kicked Mr Martin and neither the person who attempted to poke him in the eye.

Mr Martin said Mr Spagnol had to be restrained by some six or seven protesters.

At the end of the sitting, the group of defence lawyers requested bail. Magistrate Vella said he would decide on the matter this morning.

The men were escorted to jail where they spent an extra night. They have been in custody since their arraignment on Tuesday last week.

The case continues later this month.