At no time did the police ever ask former General Workers’ Union public sector section secretary Josephine Attard Sultana to leave the Workers’ Memorial Building when she was removed from her post earlier this week, a statement from the police said yesterday.

In the statement, the police confirmed that in the evening of Tuesday 8 August, it had received a telephone call from GWU secretary general Tony Zarb informing them that Ms Attard Sultana had been removed from her position by a secret vote, and that, together with other persons, she was occupying a union office illegally.

The police said that they had been asked by Mr Zarb to remove these people from the union’s premises. They said that Ms Attard Sultana was then contacted by the Police Commissioner personally and she informed him that she was only clearing her personal items from her desk, adding that she did not intend to stay in the premises.

The police said that the Commissioner never pressurised Ms Attard Sultana who, on her part, appeared to understand the situation. He also offered assistance to Ms Attard Sultana if and when the need arose, the statement said.

A small detachment of police from the Valletta Police Station was sent to patrol outside the Workers’ Memorial Building for any eventuality.