Tourists caught with their pants down in St Julian’s

Updated 6.20pm with MHRA reaction

As drivers made their way down Regional Road towards St Julian’s on Friday evening, they encountered an unusual sight: 12 naked men on a ledge waving at passing traffic. 

A video posted on social media shows the group, understood to be male tourists, sitting on a ledge between Regional Road and their Airbnb in St Julian’s. 

The men can be seen raising their hands, waving and cheering at drivers while fully naked. Some attempted to cover themselves with half-pint glasses of Cisk.

The video is believed to have been taken in the early evening of Friday, June 5.

Under Malta’s Criminal Code, a person may breach public order not only by being naked in public but also by being indecently dressed.

Article 338(q) of the Criminal Code states: “Every person is guilty of a contravention against the public order in the harbours, on the seashore or in any other public place, exposes himself naked or is indecently dressed.”

Police told Times of Malta they had received no reports in connection with the St Julian’s incident. They encouraged members of the public to report potential illegalities to the police rather than limit themselves to posting videos of such incidents online.

The St Julian's and Sliema area is a tourist and nightlife hotspot and locals regularly complain about antisocial tourist behaviour disrupting their daily lives. 

Sliema's local council has put up signs warning people that anyone caught wearing beachwear in the streets faces a €75 fine. 

The measure is intended to remind beachgoers and visitors to dress appropriately when walking through residential and commercial streets after leaving the seafront.

Naked at home?

Lawyer Arthur Azzopardi told Times of Malta that a person could still be in breach of public decency laws while on private property, if they are visible from a public place. 

He said that while a person had the right to be naked in their own property, they could still be breaking the law if they were naked or indecent while visible to the public.

That means a person who is inside a private home, balcony or rented property could still be breaking the law if they can be clearly seen by the public.

The incident in St Julians occurred just a few days after new rules aimed at tackling antisocial behaviour in entertainment areas came into force.

As of this month, tourists may be issued on-the-spot fines for antisocial behaviour, including public drinking, wearing swimwear away from the beach, littering, walking shirtless and driving in restricted zones.

MHRA calls for zero tolerance of anti-social conduct

The Malta Hotels and Restaurants Association (MHRA) on Saturday condemned the incident, calling for zero tolerance of anti-social behaviour.

"Malta welcomes visitors from around the world, but enjoyment must always go hand in hand with respect for local communities, residents, workers, families and fellow tourists. Malta is not a free-for-all destination," it said in a statement.

The association said behaviour such as alcohol and drug abuse, excessive noise, pickpocketing, sleeping outdoors, indecent behaviour, and walking through streets or public areas in inappropriate attire or naked undermined the work carried out by the Malta Tourism Authority and the significant investment by the industry to attract higher-quality tourism.

It urged that the incident reported on Saturday be addressed with urgency. It said the maximum measures available at law should be considered to send a clear message that such behaviour will not be tolerated.

MHRA's president Tony Zahra called for a more visible presence by the authorities in tourism hotspots throughout summer.

He stressed that Malta welcomes visitors who respect the destination, but there can be no tolerance for behaviour that damages public order, community wellbeing and Malta’s reputation. 

"Malta’s success as a tourism destination is built on quality, safety, security and respect."