Hundreds flock to St George’s Bay after COVID curfew shuts bars

Hundreds of young people were pictured drinking and partying on St George’s Bay after bars closed down at midnight due to COVID-19 restrictions.

Pictures and videos taken on Saturday night show a large crowd of people dancing and drinking on the Paceville beach.

Videos uploaded on TikTok also show only three policemen dispersing the sizable crowd.

The incident has also sparked reactions from entertainment industry players such as organisers and DJs, who said that such a scene highlights the importance of resuming events in controlled venues.

“To stop this mess, open the nightclubs, starting with a vaccinated entrance policy for safety,” Gianpula owner Matthew De Giorgio said in an Instagram post.

Health Minister Chris Fearne announced on Friday that social and cultural events will be able to take place across Malta and Gozo from 5 July. Only fully vaccinated persons will be admitted into these events.

From 5 July, the maximum capacity at any social or cultural event will be capped at 100 persons. If all goes well, Fearne said that this cap will increase to 150 on July 15, and eventually to 200 persons by August 2.

The Malta Entertainment Industry and Arts Association reacted negatively to the plan laid out by health authorities on Friday, writing that the measures showed "an unfortunate disregard towards the livelihood of professionals”.

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