Updated at 2.40pm

Twenty-one men who allegedly rioted at the Safi detention centre on Monday protested their innocence upon their arraignment on Tuesday and were remanded in custody.

They were arraigned following incidents at Safi Detention Centre on Monday.

The migrants, all aged between 18 and 38 and mostly Sudanese nationals, were charged with causing more than €2500 in damage to government property, participating in an unlawful assembly, refusing to obey legitimate police orders as well as breaching the peace.

Wearing orange t-shirts and flip flops, the men were escorted into the courtroom, hands bound together in twos with cable ties. 

Assisted by interpreters, the men pleaded not guilty and were remanded in custody. There was no request for bail at the arraignment stage.

When they were told that they would be detained in prison until their case continued, the men vociferously protested their innocence. Police officers keeping watch then stepped in to silence them. 

The court, presided over by magistrate Charmaine Galea, explained to the men that they would be detained in prison until their case was assigned to another magistrate. 

The men were then escorted out of the courtroom and back to the police van waiting outside. 

Inspector Roderick Attard prosecuted.
Lawyer Noel Bartolo was legal aid counsel.