The National Commission Persons with Disability has called on the police to investigate a video clip posted on YouTube showing "Maltese bullies" trying to ridicule and mock disabled people on account of their physical and/or intellectual impairments.

"KNPD is not against comedy, or satire, as long as the material is not offensively targeted at making fun of people's biological differences. Humour that in any way mocks people because of their impairments and differences can only do harm for any efforts to include disabled people in mainstream society: it demoralises the victim and debases the bully," the commission said.

The commission condemned the production of this clip and urged the Police Commissioner to take all necessary action allowed under Maltese law to identify and prosecute the people who took the videos and broadcast them on the Internet.

It also urged all disabled people, their families and especially NGOs working in the sector to show solidarity with the victims of this new form of hate-crime by condemning the bullies and demanding suitable redress.

It said that through education, these and similar incidents could be prevented from happening in the first place.