Updated | Police academy director told to apologise, delete offensive post that disparaged PN MPs

Updated at 4:01 pm with Home Affairs Ministry comment and PN reaction

A director of the Disciplined Forces Academy has been asked to delete an offensive Facebook post and issue an apology by the Home Affairs Minister, a spokesperson has said.

The Facebook post that according to Repubblika was uploaded over recent days by Ellul

The issue concerns John Ellul, who serves as a director of studies in the academy that trains police officers, soldiers and other disciplined forces personnel.

Ellul put up a Facebook post in which he suggested PN MPs should be pelted with eggs and tomatoes.

The post was picked up by rule of law NGO Repubblika, which in a letter to Byron Camilleri urged the minister to take action against this "unacceptable" and "shocking" behaviour.

"Mr John Ellul has already been requested to delete his Facebook post and issue an apology. It is very clear that such comments will not be tolerated. Minister Camilleri consistently insists on the importance that everyone is respectful towards others," a ministry spokesperson told MaltaToday on Monday afternoon.

Earlier, Ellul admitted with MaltaToday the post was "inappropriate" given his role at the academy but insisted that he intended it to be a political reflection and nothing more.

"I publicly apologise if my comment hurt anyone and it was not my intention to incite anything against anyone. It was a comment intended to flag the two weights and two measures over scenes we witnessed outside parliament when certain allegations were made in the past [against Labour ministers] and the more dignified reaction Labour sympathisers had now when new allegations surfaced about the PN. But I do admit that the post is not appropriate in the context of my position at the academy," he said.

Ellul had also confirmed that Camilleri had spoken to him about the incident.

He is the brother of the Parliamentary Secretary for Social Dialogue, Andy Ellul and a former police forensics expert.

In his offensive post, Ellul said: “Is it possible that there aren’t any eggs and tomatoes left to pelt the PN MPs with as they are leaving Parliament? This is really a case of where are the Labourites.”

Repubblika calls out Ellul

On Monday morning, Repubblika asked Camilleri to discipline Ellul in a letter penned by Repubblika President Robert Aquilina.

“It cannot be that the person who is trusted with training our disciplined forces behaves in such a shocking manner,” Repubblika said, calling on the minister to take the necessary action.

Repubblika said the minister must take the necessary action to show that he and the government do not condone such behaviour.

Prime Minister Robert Abela was copied in the letter.

Behaviour unbecoming for a police trainer - PN

Reacting to Ellul's disparaging remarks, the Nationalist Party said it will not be discouraged from being the voice of the people in parliament despite this "unacceptable" behaviour.

"This is not behaviour that befits someone who is responsible for the training and professional development of members of disciplined forces," the PN said.