Journalist recalls 'rampage' outside EU vote counting hall

A journalist yesterday told a magistrate how an "organised" group of people greeted Labour Leader Alfred Sant at the gate of the Ta' Qali counting hall during the EU referendum in 2003, surrounded him and "bulldozed" journalists who legitimately tried to approach him for a comment.

Karl Stagno Navarra, who works as a journalist with Medialink Communications, took the witness stand before Magistrate Michael Mallia in the libel proceedings initiated by Dr Sant against The Times editor Raymond Bugeja over the publication of a letter entitled Uphold Democracy, published on April 1, 2003.

Mr Stagno Navarra explained that on March 9, 2003 he was standing outside the counting hall close to the main gate waiting for the Prime Minister to arrive and make a declaration. Instead, Dr Sant arrived in his Mazda car which he was driving.

Dr Sant, who was accompanied by Labour general secretary Jimmy Magro and deputy leader Joseph Brincat, parked in a reserved slot close to the gate and the three men walked in without going through security checks.

Once he walked through the gate Dr Sant was greeted by an organised group of people, including 10 men wearing ear pieces. These men were easily identifiable as security personnel because they wore black jackets.

Mr Stagno Navarra went on to explain that these men formed a security corridor for Dr Sant to pass through and then surrounded him and barred both Maltese and foreign journalists from approaching him.

He explained it was the journalists' duty to take a comment from Dr Sant, as Leader of the Opposition, about the outcome of the referendum.

The witness believed this had been organised as, when journalists tried to get a comment from Dr Sant, security personnel bulldozed them and punches were also thrown. There was a rampage during which, the witness said, one of his television camera cables was snapped.

Dr Sant then made his way onto steps leading to the main building opposite the main gate, made a declation and only answered a question put by a Super One journalist.

All the while Dr Sant was surrounded by the security personnel and the crowd then made its way towards the counting hall.

Mr Stagno Navarra said he did not follow as he was assigned to report the events outside. He saw the crowd try to squeeze through a door and police officers at the security point were overwhelmed.

Although he could not tell whether or not the group went through security checks to get into the hall, through a monitor he could see that people entered the hall looking rugged and some were nearly naked.

The case continues.