The band where offensive political chanting took place last Sunday, sparking a social media row between the two parties on the Opposition benches, has disassociated itself from the incident.

The committee and members of St Philip Band Club AD 1851 “condemn the incident provoked by a small number of persons who are not club members and who only frequented the club for the occasion of the feast,” the coub said in a statement.

On Tuesday, PN secretary general Clyde Puli and Marlene Farrugia were at each other’s throats after a video of celebrations filmed during the St Philip feast went viral. The video shows Farrugia lifted shoulder high as youngsters chant “F’gh… il-PN”. Interim PD leader Godfrey Farrugia today said that the video was fake.

In its statement, the club said it stays “aloof from politics”, adding that two committee members who were present took immediate action to stop the music “that was being abused by a few irresponsible persons inside a bar open to the public”.

The club said in the future it will exert more control on music played inside the club, which now has to be approved beforehand, and that no-one will be allowed to be carried shoulder high.