The Pembroke Gardens has suffered a string of vandalism attacks, the latest resulting in the waist-high lamps that line the paving being torn out of the ground and tossed aside, mayor Dean Hili said on Sunday.

The Pembroke park has seen a rise in vandalism since late 2022 with the council also receiving reports of damaged flooring and removed railings, Hili said.

“They’ve also been targeting the toilets,” the mayor said adding it was not the first time that people found sinks dislodged and toilets clogged.

He said that although it is expected for the council to receive reports of damage as wear and tear creeps up on the garden space, the frequency of reports has increased over the past four months.

“Lately it has become apparent that [the damage] is intentional,” he said, adding that the council knew of CCTV footage which shows a group of youths present during past incidents of vandalism.

The mayor pointed out that the gardens are not the responsibility of the council but fell under the Malta Tourism Authority’s watch.

An MTA spokesperson said the police are handling the ongoing situation, questioning youths who may be responsible for this incident and others in the Pembroke and St Julian’s areas. Repairs are due to begin shortly, the MTA spokesperson said.

The recent damages were reported on February 13 and investigations are currently underway, a police spokesperson said.