A group of youths from the Graffitti movement this morning held a protest in front of the Freedom Monument in Vittoriosa over the presence of foreign warships in Grand Harbour.

The youths, wearing white T-shirts splattered with red, jumped the barricades, laid on the ground and pretended to be dead in front of the monument just before the Prime Minister was due to arrive for the official Freedom Day.

They were removed by the police but a spokesman later complained that the police had used excessive force. The spokesman said force had also been used by a man wearing civilian clothes.

The youths shouted and carried slogans mostly against the presence of American warships.

The official ceremony then proceeded without incident.

A heavy police presence stood by.

Moviment Graffitti in a statement this afternoon said that its action was not against American warships, but again warships in general.

"We stated that the fact that 96% of warships that entered Malta between 2008 and 2009 came from NATO countries, raises a lot of questions on whether the Maltese Government is respecting the neutrality principle. However, even if they did not come from NATO countries, Moviment Graffitti would still be against the presence of these ships, as they take an active part in wars".

The police in a statement said that when the protest started, its officers got these people up from where they were lying down on the ground and accompanied them back behind the barriers. No arrests were made.