A police sergeant was kicked in the head by a possibly-drunk Ukrainian man who was about to headbutt another policeman yesterday.
The police said the incident happened at about 7.30pm when the officers were called to a kiosk in Triq it-Trunciera where the 41-year-old was causing a disturbance and posing a danger to other people.
The man refused to obey police orders and resisted them as they got him to their car. At the Qawra police station he tried to headbutt a constable. The sergeant intervened and was kicked in the head.
He was taken to hospital and later discharged, but more medical checks will be made.
The Ukrainian man is to be taken to court.
Home Affairs Minister Carmelo Abela condemned the incident, saying this was the second attack on the police in a few days.
The Malta Police Association deplored the incident, which it said happened while the Ukrainian man was handcuffed.
"Such incidents are becoming frequent because the courts are not serving much of a deterrent," the association said.