Police consider action against inspector after 'dehumanising' Facebook post

Updated 7.13pm with police statement

A Facebook post by a police inspector showing men being arrested and interviewed in Marsa has sparked a human rights complaint, prompting police to remove one of the images and consider further action.

Posted by veteran inspector Matthew Attard on Tuesday morning, the photos show the men, with their faces clearly visible, being rounded up by police officers in Marsa.

The caption gives little context, only describing the police’s work as “keeping the locality more secure and better for everyone”.

The post raised the ire of lawyer Neil Falzon, who, on behalf of NGO Aditus, wrote to police authorities on Tuesday afternoon to flag Attard’s “unethical behaviour”.

“The post demonstrates a 0-level ethical approach to policing and to respect for the persons in the photos,” Falzon wrote, saying it is “shameful” for Attard to display the men’s faces in his post. Times of Malta has blurred the images of the men. 

This was “a flagrant breach of their privacy and of an entire set of rights, including that of a presumption of innocence,” Falzon said.

The post is “made worse by the dehumanising and criminalising effect of the picture,” Falzon said, with the post’s lack of any context “leaving viewers with the impression that the black men are all dangerous criminals”.

According to Falzon, Attard is “fuelling hatred of a community that is already stigmatised and marginalised, an extremely irresponsible action that could lead to violent episodes akin to the murder of Lassana Cisse."

The 2019 drive-by shooting was Malta's first known racial killing. Two former soldiers stand accused of the murder and are awaiting trial. 

In his letter, addressed to police commissioner Angelo Gafá, Falzon called on police authorities to take disciplinary action against Attard and take steps to protect the men in the photos.

Police acknowledge privacy confirms, refute racism

In a statement, the Malta Police Force said the post was intended to highlight ongoing police work in Marsa, where officers are regularly asked to address public order, enforcement and illegalities.

However, it said it does not endorse the publication of material that may unnecessarily identify individuals or compromise their dignity and privacy.

Police said the specific photo showing a handcuffed individual was a "one-off image within the post and has since been removed". Other images have remained with the faces of the individuals blurred.

"The matter will therefore be addressed with the officer concerned and any further action will be considered in line with internal procedures," the statement said.

The force rejected claims that the post was intended to fuel hatred towards migrants or any other community, saying it avoids mentioning nationalities in official social media posts to prevent racist, discriminatory or hateful comments.

Police also said the officer concerned is responsible for the Community Cohesion Team, which works with representatives of different communities to strengthen dialogue, trust and integration.

"He has also been instrumental in organising community engagement initiatives aimed at bringing different communities together," they said.

“The Malta Police Force remains committed to carrying out its duties fairly, respectfully and without prejudice,” it said, adding that enforcement action is taken in relation to illegalities, irrespective of whether those involved are Maltese or foreign nationals.