Hecklers confronted NGO protesters outside court on Saturday morning after they put a life vest on Guido de Marco's statue.

As the protesters were symbolically putting the migrants' vest on the statue, passers-by starting shouting at them to take it down saying they were disrespecting the late President.

They also called on the protesters to “go back to your country”, accusing them of “trafficking people”.

An elderly man who claimed he was a sea captain swore profusely at the protester when the latter said that the President was safe now that he had a life jacket on.

Ironically, the former president's son, MP Mario de Marco came out strongly in favour of migrant NGOs through a Talking Point in Saturday's Times of Malta. 

Photo: Matthew Mirabelli

It is the second such incident in two days after hecklers objected to the presence of NGO staff members who stood outside court in solidarity with a ship captain who is being charged with steering an unlicensed boat. 

"I will break your finger" - videographer threatened by anti-migrant protestor

In the past days, Malta allowed the charity ship MV Lifeline to dock following a spat with Italy and a six-day ordeal at sea.

It then controversially closed its ports to ships carrying migrants that are operated by NGOs. The move has been denounced by humanitarian organisations as well as the Church.