The recent violent altercation inside a Maltese courtroom - where a man assaulted another during an ongoing sitting - serves as a stark and disturbing reminder of a long-standing issue that can no longer be ignored: the urgent need to bolster security in our courts of law.

According to the court's own records of the incident, the accused began hurling insults at two other individuals during the hearing before advancing on one of them and subjecting him to an assault. Shockingly, this happened while court was in session, in full view of judicial officials, legal professionals, and members of the public.

What is perhaps most concerning is not only the audacity of the act, but the glaring failure of the security system. It took five minutes - an eternity in a violent situation - before a security officer arrived, by which time the altercation had already descended into chaos and had to be broken up by family members. In that critical time, the courtroom was left exposed, unprotected, and vulnerable.

That such an incident could unfold unchecked inside this most sacred civic space should alarm every stakeholder in the justice system - from policymakers to security authorities, and from the judiciary to the public.

The judge who was presiding the session, Mr Justice Francesco Depasquale, did not mince words in his verbal record. He noted that the court has been sounding the alarm about the lack of adequate courtroom security for years. Yet those warnings have repeatedly fallen on deaf ears. The assault was a consequence of prolonged neglect.

Security in courtrooms is not a bureaucratic luxury. It is a fundamental requirement for the fair and safe administration of justice. Judges and magistrates must be able to perform their duties without fear of being physically endangered or seeing the courtroom turned into a battlefield. Lawyers, witnesses, and defendants must be able to participate in legal proceedings within a framework that guarantees their safety and the dignity of the court. Without this assurance, the very legitimacy of the legal system is at risk.

It is also crucial to recognise the psychological toll such incidents can take - not just on the immediate victims, but on all present in the courtroom. Witnesses may hesitate to testify. Victims of crimes may feel re-victimised. Judicial officials may begin to question their own safety while carrying out their duties.

The response must be swift, serious, and system-wide. Security presence in courtrooms must be standard, not occasional. Properly trained security officers must be readily available within seconds, not minutes, especially in high-conflict cases. These officers should be equipped and trained not only to intervene quickly, but to de-escalate potential confrontations before they erupt.

Furthermore, court infrastructure should be reviewed. Are there functional alert systems? Are there sufficient surveillance cameras? Do security personnel have clear protocols and immediate access routes to intervene?

In a time when the rule of law is under pressure globally, incidents like this damage public trust and threaten the integrity of Malta's justice system. It is now incumbent upon the relevant authorities - be it the ministry responsible for justice, the Court Services Agency, or law enforcement - to treat courtroom security not as an administrative matter, but as a national priority.

What happened in that courtroom must be the final wake-up call. The time for studies, memos, and delayed action has long passed. Malta's courts - and everyone within them - deserve better.