Four men are being held in custody after being arraigned and accused of living an idle and vagrant life and aggressive begging.

Three of them -  Matthew Falzon, 36, Chad national Zakaria Adam, 21, and Somali Ceydrus Hassan Ali, 22, were arrested in the area of the park and ride in Marsa, the same place where another 12 people were arrested and accused of aggressive begging last week.

The fourth man, Romanian Ionica Birsan, 53, was arrested in St Paul’s Bay.

Legal aid lawyer Silvan Pulis requested bail for Falzon, but this was rejected by the court.  No request for bail was made for the other accused.

All four were remanded in custody.

Police Inspector Gabria Gatt prosecuted.

Following last week's arrests, the police said the arrested men were found sleeping in makeshift shelters, garages or behind containers.

The YMCA, which operates a homeless shelter and drop-in centre catering to 60 people a day, said that while public safety was important, poverty should be addressed by "compassion, not criminalisation." It said those turning up at its drop-in centre in Ħamrun halved after the arrests as homeless people went into hiding. 

Public safety

Home Affairs Minister Byron Camilleri defended the arrests when he was questioned about them in parliament on Monday by Nationalist MP Albert Buttigieg.

He said the police and other state authorities did all they could to assist people in need but they could not tolerate aggressive begging which led other people to fear for their safety.