Police to press charges following Hamrun football celebrations in breach of COVID rules

The police will be pressing charges over a video showing Hamrun Spartans supporters celebrating their victory over rivals Birkirkara last weekend.

A video circulating online shows supporters of the Hamrun football club singing Inti Djamant by The Tramps, a Gozitan group, in a crowded bar, while snapping photos with the club's president Joseph Portelli. Portelli is from Nadur.

A number of individuals were spotted breaching COVID-19 regulations by not wearing masks and congregating in large numbers in a bar. A number of people, including the club president, were also spotted smoking inside.

The police said in a statement that the bar’s owner was interrogated. The police also questioned a number of other people identified in the video. In a statement on Monday, the police said it will be pressing charges against a number of individuals.

The establishment in question has a snack bar licence and can only operate if it abides by COVID-19 regulation. The police said that the Malta Tourism Authority issued an enforcement notice against the snack bar.

Police also said that it had carried out a number of patrols in the Hamrun area over the weekend, in order to prevent people from congregating for celebrations.

No one was found celebrating in the streets, and establishments with a bar licence were all closed.

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