What happened at the bus terminus does not augur well for us as Maltese citizens and puts us all to shame. 

If what has been reported in The Malta Independent is true, then as a State we have much to worry about. But the fact that all the major news media agreed in their reporting of the aggression, which was also backed by witnesses,proves that once again the police are in the wrong. There can be no doubt as to the veracity of this incident. The police ended up manhandling, handcuffing and arresting a man only because he was a black. They did not even take the bother to apprehend the aggressor. Instead of giving assistance to the victim, the police ended up arresting him despite the fact that that it was he who appealed to the police for help.

Should such an incident have happened to me, I do not know how I would have reacted… I admire this man's self control. 

More importantly this should be a lesson to politicians who speak ill of migrants and talk about pushbacks. This case proves that not all Blacks in Malta are migrants. This is what crass ignorance and prejudice leads to. This individual is here with his wife and child from Hungary studying chemistry, presumably at our University. Perhaps one should take the trouble to listen to the statement given by his wife to a reporter and reflect on her eloquent message too. 

I expect and demand that U.M.A.S.A. issue an official statement on this regrettable incident. And on a personal note, as an academic, I would like to express my solidarity to this man.

I also expect the Commissioner of Police to issue a formal apology. He should not be apologizing in his personal capacity but in his official role as head of the police force. If he fails to do so, he is sending the wrong message to one and all and would be confirming that indeed arrogance and ignorance still prevails at HQs.

I believe that there is no suitable place for this sort of behaviour in the police force. The photos clearly show that the officers must be far more interested in their gym and body cult than using any common sense; probably they have none. What have they been taught at our Police Academy?

But and, perhaps more relevant, it would seem that the criteria being adopted to select individuals for training falls far short of expectations and is failing miserably in finding and picking suitable elements. More the pity.

Should one have any illusions that these stories concern only migrants whatever their skin colour, one is mistaken. I personally know a Maltese mother whose problems began when Norman Lowell entered the local political scene. Her son started to be bullied at school because of the colour of his skin. Today, he has rebelled against society for failing him anddid not treat him like any other human being.