Police investigations into the assault on birdwatchers at Buskett are ongoing, Acting Police Commissioner Ray Zammit said.

No one has yet been charged in connection with that incident, which saw a group of some 30 hunters threw stones at the birdwatchers. An elderly man was punched in the face and suffered a broken jaw.

The police have so far charged 10 people over last Sunday's protest by hunters in Valletta

Mr Zammit said investigations to identify the perpetrators at Buskett would continue and urged anyone with information to come forward.

He said the police had headed towards Buskett the moment they overheard hunters taking part in the Valletta protest say some were going to the woodland.

“We had police near Girgenti and in Buskett but we could not be everywhere. We did not know where the hunters were going to meet and they did not leave Valletta in a carcade, which would have made our job easier,” Mr Zammit explained.

He said officers were also instructed to guard certain national monuments and the Għadira nature reserve.

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