Updated November 22 with Police's reaction
A man believed to be a police officer wearing a training uniform has been photographed with a visible tattoo of a swastika on his arm.
The man has been reported to the police by a member of the public after being caught on camera at MacDonald's in Malta International Airport at 1pm on Wednesday.
Lawyer Michael Zammit Maempel took several photographs of the man, who he says was accompanied by another officer wearing the same training shirt.
Police have not answered questions from Times of Malta about whether they are investigating the case. Officers are banned from having tattoos on their arms, faces or necks.
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Dr Zammit Maempel told Times of Malta he was shocked and angry when he saw the symbol on a person of authority.
“How would he react if someone had to report a race-related crime to him? Can he be trusted to take the report seriously?”]
Since World War II, the swastika has become a symbol associated with hatred and racial bias and is often used by white-supremacy groups and neo-Nazi Parties. Germany has implemented heavy bans on the swastika.
While police in Malta are banned from sporting visible tattoos, the service ran a poll on its Facebook page last month asking whether officers should be allowed to sport tattoos and facial hair.
The photo elicited a surprise and disgust on Facebook, after Dr Zammit Maempel posted it with the caption: "A policeman. With a swastika tattoo. In Malta. In 2019."
Alex Hili who ran the#StopHate campaign against hate speech said such symbols were unacceptable, especially for a representative of the law.
"Hate never should be accepted, let alone promoted," he said.
"When people in authority and those who have power promote it, it acts as a method of repression as it makes the vulnerable people unable to trust the authority that protects them. Because of one person that abuses of their position through intimidation."
Police's reaction
A spokesperson told Times of Malta that investigations kicked off "soon after it came to the knowledge of the Police."
However the spokesperson failed to say when the Police started the investigations.