Far-rightists in Smash TV altercation after programme is cancelled

A ruckus ensued inside the Smash TV studios on Tuesday, 13 May, when both Alternattiva Demokratika and the Nationalist Party refused to attend a political broadcasting hosting a candidate from the far-right Imperium Europa.

The altercation involved Smash TV owner Joe Baldacchino and IE candidate Antoine Galea and campaign manager Adriano Spiteri.

Confirmed reports from police sources have established that after a Green Party candidate did not attend a political broadcast, PN candidate Norman Vella informed the studio owner that he would not debate with Antoine Galea. Another candidate, Ivan Grech Mintoff from eurosceptic ticket ‘Alleanza Bidla’, also did not attend.

Baldacchino then proceeded to stop the programme, which was sanctioned under Broadcasting Authority guidelines.

At that point, Antoine Galea called IE campaign manager Adriano Spiteri, who came to the Smash studios, and was described by eyewitnesses as having been “irate”.

Spiteri and Baldacchino were then involved in a loud argument.

According to Baldacchino, Galea shouted at him when the studio owner could not broadcast a political debate without any balance in it. The argument got worse when Spiteri arrived on the spot.

On their part, Galea and Spiteri told police they would file a separate police report against Baldacchino.