A tourist from Germany has expressed his disappointment with the police after they downplayed an unprovoked attack in Valletta which left him suffering a punctured eardrum and facial bruising.

What began as a normal day trip in the capital ended up with the man and his family living in “fear and trauma”, worried that such an attack could happen again.

The incident happened in the afternoon of May 30 on Merchant Street, while the man was sightseeing with his wife, two children and friends.

“I’ve been to many countries, and we were all excited about visiting Malta,” he said about the five-day holiday.

The man, who wished to remain anonymous, explained that while crossing the intersection of Merchant Street and St Christopher Street, a motorcyclist “deliberately” pushed his friend.

While his friend was shocked by the unprovoked push, she remained calm and told the aggressor he did not need to push her as there was enough space on the road.

The attacker did not take her comments lightly. He responded aggressively, saying that if he had a truck, he would have run her over.

Seeing the situation escalating, the man tried to intervene and calm the attacker.

“To my surprise, he came down from his bike and started shouting at me. I told him there was no need to be loud and that we were leaving.”

The aggression got worse, and the motorcyclist started beating the tourist on his face.

While the man tried to move away, the victim’s wife and children started calling out for help. The female co-rider on the aggressor’s bike did nothing. Groups of people witnessed the attack, and no one intervened or called the police, he said.

The victim’s wife captured some seconds on film before the attacker fled the scene.

A staff member of a hotel close by called the police, where the victim described the incident, and provided the number plate of the attacker’s motorbike.

The man claimed the police instructed them to go to the Floriana Health Centre.

To my surprise, he came down from his bike and started shouting at me. I told him there was no need to be loud and that we were leaving

After receiving initial treatment at the health centre, they were advised to go to Mater Dei Hospital for further treatment. The man suffered from an injury in his right eye, a punctured left eardrum and overall bruising on his face.

While at the emergency department, they found a police room and discussed the situation with the police, showing them the video.

“One officer immediately recognised the perpetrator but informed us that we needed to go to the Valletta Police Station to make a formal report,” he said.

'Lived in fear and trauma in Malta'

At around 10pm, the family arrived at the police station and once again described the incident to the police officers.

The victim claims two of the police officers recognised the man in the video.

“They expressed empathy but explained that filing a report would lead to a police case potentially requiring us to return to Malta for court proceedings in the future. They advised us to consider whether we wanted to proceed with such a complex process.”

He said he believed the police had sufficient evidence to take immediate action, especially if they claimed to know the perpetrator.

After discussing with family members, the victim and his friend decided not to file a police report and instead returned to the hotel.

“The next two days we lived in fear and trauma in Malta, worried this could happen again,” he said.

“It is sad that the police, knowing this man was a criminal, did not take any action and instead were informing us of the disadvantages of filing a report,” he said.

He said his family and friends are concerned the attacker could hurt other people.

“We are back in Germany now, but our mental health is unstable. The doctor said it would take three months for my eardrum puncture to heal.”

While the family is not seeking justice through legal proceedings, the man urged action to ensure the public and tourists are safe, together with an improved police response.

“There should be a swift and proactive response from the Malta police in such situations, with a straightforward reporting system for tourists,” he said.

“I wish to visit Malta again, but I hope that this story will bring awareness.”

The police told Times of Malta investigations were ongoing and the perpetrator has been identified. 

"The police officer on duty explained that he had spoken at length with the alleged victims who opted to leave the station without filing a report when they were informed they had to testify in person in court."

They did not clarify whether the police would take criminal action against the perpetrator.