Tens of young people gathered at the Exiles beach on Friday night, completely ignoring the social distancing rules while police did not turn up in spite of calls being made.

The footage below was taken at 10.50pm, and the Sliema police station was called twice to intervene to break up the gathering, but no officers were sent, according to persons who were in the area.

The owners of the bar gave a different version, saying that police did go on the scene to disperse the young people (see statement below). The police later also said that officers were sent once information was received.

Health authorities are urging social distancing to combat the spread of Coronavirus, and fines are supposed to be given to people who gather in groups of more than four in a public place, unless they are from the same household.

These young people, mostly foreigners, were drinking and making merry, buying their drinks from a bar nearby. Nobody was being let inside the bar, but drinks were being sold on the steps near the rocky beach.

There was also a car parked on the beach with loud music and people gathered around it drinking, people who saw the gathering told The Malta Independent.

People who parked their car in the area could not leave as their vehicle was blocked by the revellers.

The Malta Independent in informed that police were seen in the Exiles area up to 8pm.

The bar in question gave a different version to what happened yesterday, saying that police did turn up on the site to disperse the gathering.

"Paradise Exiles would like to thank the police from the Sliema Station and the Rapid Intervention Unit for their cooperation to disperse a large group of young people from the beach yesterday night," a post on the bar's Facebook page said.

"The management yesterday made a number of phone calls to the police to take action after a number of about twenty young foreign people turned up on the beach, close to Paradise Exiles not respecting social distancing rules and disturbing public peace.

"Following police intervention, the young people left, however returned in a much bigger number some time later. After reporting again, district police together with the RIU intervened and the crowd was dispersed and left the area.

"Paradise Exiles is open only for takeaway food and drinks and encourages all beach goers to respect social distancing rules and the guidelines issued by the Superintendence for Public Health."

In a statement this afternoon, the police denied that no action was taken, saying that officers went twice to the area.

The first time was at 9.30pm, when the police received the first call with the information that a party was taking place at Exiles. When officers turned up, the people who had gathered ran off not to be caught.

At 11pm, the police received a second call with the same information, and when officers turned up the crowd dispersed again. The officers remained on site but no one returned to the area.