Revellers in Valletta had their merry-making cut short last night after a bucket of water was thrown at a crowd of people enjoying a band’s live performance in Strait Street.
This comes just weeks after Valletta deputy mayor Ray Azzopardi told residents to throw water at rowdy bar patrons who disturb the peace near homes close to entertainment venues.
An eyewitness who spoke to Times of Malta said the incident happened shortly after midnight, early on Sunday morning on the corner between Strait Street and St Lucia Street, behind the law courts in Valletta.
A small crowd had gathered around a band that had set up on the corner and was performing to an enthusiastic crowd that was singing along and enjoying themselves, the eyewitness said.
The four-person band did not appear to be connected to any bar in particular, they added, with the impression being that the band members had brought their own equipment and were busking on the corner.
With no warning, part of the crowd was dispersed after water was thrown into the street from at least one storey above, the eyewitness said.
“There were a lot of people gathered and they were singing. Then suddenly, this huge load of water was thrown down from a balcony,” they said.
“We laughed it off, but the residents were absolutely right to be annoyed, it was a four-piece band with a full PA set up.”
Footage sent to Times of Malta shows that police officers showed up shortly after the water was thrown and the band informed the crowd that it was putting a stop to the performance.
“I’m sorry guys, we cannot continue, it's late and we have to respect the people who live here,” a person can be heard saying into a microphone, with the crowd audibly groaning and booing the announcement.
“But we will see you next time and thank you for being here,” the band member said, which prompted a round of cheers and applause from the crowd.
A police spokesperson confirmed that loud music was being played on Strait Street on Saturday evening, with officers going on site and taking "necessary action".
They added that no reports of water being thrown were made to the police officers who went on site.
Valletta residents’ struggle to maintain peace and quiet outside their homes during the night was turned into an uphill battle last year after a new law allowed music to be played outdoors in the capital city till 1 am, with concerns that the UNESCO World Heritage site would be transformed into an entertainment hub falling on deaf ears.
Three weeks ago, after a resident took to Facebook to express her frustration with the rowdy patrons of Merchants Street bars spilling out into the open, deputy mayor Azzopardi asked her why she didn’t have a bucket of water nearby to deal with the problem, with him later advising her to keep one handy “for next time”.
Azzopardi later told Times of Malta that residents are largely frustrated with rowdy patrons rather than the music being played.
"We are talking about people making loud noise very late at night, singing in the streets, and leaving dirt behind residents' doors. Not every establishment disobeys, but there are some that are not respecting residents," he said at the time.
"I enjoy seeing Valletta alive, and I take pride to see the establishments busy, but they also need to compromise and respect our residents," Azzopardi said.