About 80 passengers on a packed bus heading from Valletta to Pembroke had to disembark in Msida after a man wearing safety boots kicked and shattered the glass door because the driver could not let him on.

The incident happened at about 7.30am when bus route 14 stopped to offload two passengers in Triq L-Imsida. Witnesses said that, before leaving, the bus driver closed the doors as the bus was full "to the brim".

A man, who seemed to work in construction and was wearing safety boots, signalled to the driver to open. But the driver signalled that he could not as the bus was full.

“The man then kicked the door. It shattered with one kick and he ran away,” the witness said. Following the incident all passengers were asked to get off the bus since it could not proceed on its journey due to safety concerns. The witness estimated there were around 80 people on board. No one was hurt during the incident.

'Violence has no place in our community'

When contacted about the incident, Malta Public Transport “strongly condemned the violent attack”.

“This behaviour is unacceptable and puts the safety of passengers and our employee at risk. The bus driver promptly followed safety protocols by contacting the control room and ensuring the safety of all passengers.

"While the perpetrator fled the scene, we are committed to reviewing the incident and taking appropriate action. Violence has no place in our community, and we will continue to work with the authorities to ensure the safety and security of all passengers and employees,” they said adding that a police report will be filed.