The unruly kids of Sliema

Residents and establishments at Sliema’s Plaza and Tigne area are becoming increasingly concerned over the rise of anti-social behaviour by teenagers frequenting the area. 

The situation was put under the spotlight last week, when the teenage son of Nationalist MP Adrian Delia was left unconscious following a violent assault by a group of young people. The boy was hospitalised after the attack and his father has called for the situation to be addressed by the authorities.  

Sources who spoke to this newspaper said the perpetrators of the attack have been identified by the police. 

In the wake of the assault, people spoke of gangs and large groups of troublesome teenagers who have been causing problems in Sliema’s shopping district. MaltaToday headed down to the area to gauge what business owners and residents had to say. 

Two years of mounting problems  

While the assault marked a troubling turning point, people who frequent, live and work in the area say the problems have been building for months, and in some cases years. Complaints have ranged from excessive noise and street fights to vandalism and unauthorised entry into residential blocks. 

People in the area said the area in front of the Plaza Shopping Centre has become a meeting spot for teenagers and young people. On Friday and Saturday evenings, groups number at least 50 to 70 individuals.  

Teens stand at the entrance of an apartment block making excessive noise during late hours

Several people who spoke to MaltaToday on condition of anonymity to protect their identity, described frequent shouting, fighting and disruptive behaviour late into the night, with the inconvenience becoming unbearable especially for residents.   

“It’s not the first time that you see a resident shouting from their balcony for them to stop,” an individual said. “Something has to be done.” 

While the presence of police officers, after calls are made to the police station, seem to help the situation, once they leave, the commotion starts again. 

Libyan youths taking things too far  

But among the larger group of teens, a small group of youths are looking to push the limits. Residents in the area spoke of a group of boys, believed to be of Libyan nationality, who are continuously harassing passers-by, people who live in adjacent apartment blocks and even their fellow teens.  

Individuals among the group are also believed to be those who assaulted Adrian Delia’s son.  

The group have caused damage to parked cars, vandalised properties and even threw stones at attendees of a free event for the community held by the Plaza management. A person who had attended the community event explained that this same group of teenagers had claimed that a man present was taking a photo of their sister, accusing him of paedophilia. 

Youths stop cars driving through an adjacent street to Bisazza

When asked to substantiate their claims, the teens became confrontational with staff, and started to change their version of events. They only left the area when police were called in by the shopping centre’s management.  

On another occasion, the group was seen hurling stones at people, with the police having to be called in to bring order to on the street.  

A worker at a nearby restaurant said on one occasion the same group were seen targeting food delivery couriers by attempting to snatch orders or harass drivers. 

Outlets bolster security  

With the situation continuing to worsen, shops in the area have had to employ security officers to prevent the behaviour spilling into their outlets. A supermarket in the area has a security officer present at all times during the weekends.  

At the nearby Plaza Shopping centre, management have had to employ extra security and install paid toilet access, after teenagers were on multiple occasions caught stealing toilet seats and brushes, vandalising facilities and even smearing human faeces on bathroom walls. 

Despite the challenges, an increased police presence in recent days has been welcomed by residents and businesses alike, even if it has only provided temporary relief. 

But others have questioned how it took the son of a politician for the situation to change.  

“These problems have been happening for two years. Why did it need the son of a politician to be injured for the issues to be addressed?” they said.  

Speaking to MaltaToday, Sliema Mayor John Pillow said he has been following the situation for years, and has also been in recent contact with authorities for increased police presence in the area. 

He confirmed residents’ complaints, saying he is at the receiving end of a number of phone calls over the issue. 

Pillow is also pushing for police officers doing late night patrols to be from the area.  

“The officers which patrol the area, I am told, are on overtime from other localities. While they do a good job, the do not know the intricacies and nuisances of the area like the ones who work here day in day out. If they are, I think it would better help our situation,” he said.  

The mayor said after the problem was raised to the national agenda, youths are now moving to other areas such as Robert Arrigo Street, formerly Tigné Street; the Tigné Point pjazza, and the new square at the back of the new Fortina glass-clad building, which youths refer to as “the mirrors”. 

As the Sliema community continues to grapple with the issue, the labels of gangs and organised crime appear stretched and untrue. Nonetheless, the community is still looking to the authorities for a solution to the weekly problems of anti-social behaviour they encounter.