PM on Ħamrun brawl: 'No one will be permitted to turn our communities into jungles'

Prime Minister Robert Abela said that incidents like the recent brawl in Ħamrun's High Street were unacceptable and intolerable in society.

On Thursday, police had to intervene after a brawl occurred between over 20 people, thought to be of Syrian nationality, in the middle of the day.

“Such scenes are disgusting, irrespective of whether the perpetrators were Maltese or foreigners,” Abela said on One Radio on Saturday.

The Prime Minister said that certain localities like Ħamrun, Marsa and Birżebbuġa had to deal with particular realities and that their mayors regularly lamented about the lack of security.

“No one will be permitted to turn our communities into jungles. Every person residing in our country has a right to live in peace and serenity,” Abela said.

He said he expects the courts to send a strong message that the work of the police corps was appreciated.

Abela stated that Malta was in need in foreign labour but said that any foreigner that broke the law in the country, was not worthy of living in Malta.

With regards to irregular migration, the PM said that Malta’s position was to prevent the loss of lives at sea, but emphasised that Malta could not afford to carry a “disproportionate weight”.