Two police officers were injured early this morning when they were called in to escort four people who were creating a disturbance at the Havana night club in Paceville.

Police inspector Sandro Camilleri, who is also the president of the police officers’ union, told The Malta Independent that these incidents are happening too often and that the officers, who are there to protect people, should also be given protection.

This morning’s incident happened at around 3am when the officers were called to escort four people, three of them foreigners, from the night club.

At one point, Inspector Camilleri said, the four police officers were attacked, with two of them suffering injuries that needed hospital treatment.

Sergeant Glen Sammut suffered an injury to the hip while Constable Brain Tonna suffered an injury to the hand.

An investigation has been launched, Inspector Camilleri said.

Inspector Camilleri said that this was not the only incident that took place this weekend. In Gozo, during the Nadur Carnival, an officer in plainclothes was punched in the face.

A number of officers in Gozo needed treatment.

The Police Officers Union cannot tolerate violence against police officers. When a police officer does something wrong, there is uproar against him or her but when an officer is injured it seems that it is the norm. This should not be the case, he said. Police officers should also be protected by the courts, and punishments meted out to offenders should be harsher.