Arraignments are expected to be made in connection with a recent incident at the Junior College that left a police officer injured, but the charges relate only to the illegal use of flares in public, this newspaper has learnt.

Celebrations on November 11 marking the victory of the left-wing students’ organisation Pulse at the Junior College student council election got out of hand and turned violent.

Brandishing red flares, a number of students gathered outside the complex in Msida and started banging on the gates, which were damaged. The disturbances prompted a number of neighbours to call the police. When a number of officers arrived on site, they were faced with aggressive behaviour.

In the commotion, a woman police sergeant was grievously injured when she tried to stop an 18-year-old from lighting a flare. Liquid was thrown at the officer, who was also pushed to the ground. It is not known what sort of liquid it was.

Some of those present started banging on a police car.

Though footage of the disturbance was posted on social media, police source told the Times of Malta not much progress had been made in the efforts to identify the aggressors. Nonetheless, investigators are still analysing mobile phone footage, as well as evidence captured through security cameras in the area.

“The officer at the heart of this incident who was shoved to the ground did not identify any of those present, who were heavily inebriated,” the sources said.

Officers who spoke to this newspaper on the condition of anonymity said the situation should not have been allowed to escalate to that point, adding that despite several reports being made, policemen only showed up quite late in the day.

Both the Malta Police Association and the Police Officers’ Union condemned the violent incident.