Updated 2pm with MHRA comment.

A brawl in Buġibba square which saw men hurl tables, chairs and even bollards at one another left two men slightly injured and in police custody. 

Video footage of the free-for-all showed several men tough it out in broad daylight while families and tourists ducked for cover. The footage has since gone viral, with it quickly spreading across local social media feeds. 

An eyewitness wrote on Facebook that this was the second such fight in the area in recent days. They complained that "not one policeman" showed up to break up the fight. 

Police did, however, eventually get on the case, with a spokesperson telling Times of Malta that two men, Syrian nationals aged 25 and 41, were arrested following the fight. Both were taken to Mosta health centre and then Mater Dei hospital, where doctors treated them for slight injuries. 

MHRA warning

The Malta Hotels and Restaurants Association has called for a round the clock police presence and real time CCTV surveillance systems in strategic areas, saying that it was most concerned by the time it took for the police to arrive on the scene.

It stressed that the police should be able to respond rapidly and deal with similar situations “within a matter of minutes”.

The MHRA criticised what it described as the “unacceptable behaviour of what appears to be guests in Malta” but was very concerned that Malta could “lose its coveted ‘absolutely safe destination’ status, if situations similar to yesterday’s fracas at Bugibba square repeat themselves”.

“The law must be applied to its fullest extent as the economy of the island and the safety of the law-abiding citizen is being threatened. Everyone must accept responsibility for their actions,” MHRA president Tony Zahra said.