Ever Ran Violently? Here Are 7 Weird Laws In Malta’s Criminal Code
Living in Malta, whether you’re local or foreign, means it sometimes easy to forget we actually have laws. I know, it’s crazy. Apparently, your hazard lights aren’t a temporary parking space generator.
But did you know you could get in trouble for picking some juicy fruit? Neither did we, so Lovin Malta took a small dip into the Criminal Code to find some weird laws that are in place:
1. Running ‘violently’
Next time you get the sudden urge to run down Republic Street, think again. In Malta, it’s a crime to “run violently” in any street or public space with the risk of injuring others.
Considering Malta’s obesity problem, maybe future amendments should make it a crime not to run.
2. Don’t cut the grass
Maltese love a good fort, some might say to an unhealthy obsession, with the criminal code expressly stating that it is illegal to cut any grass in any fortification without a permit.
It’s also illegal to dump your rubbish in or by a fort. You’d think it would be obvious, but it surprisingly isn’t for some.
3. Leaving your ladder on the street
Well, not just a ladder. It’s illegal in Malta to leave any instrument, be it a ladder, iron bar, or weapon, unattended that might be improperly used by “thieves or other wrong-doers”.
4. Pigeon protection
Considering Malta’s love for pigeon-culling, those little rats of the sky enjoy a level of protection most birds rarely enjoy on our trigger-happy island, at least if they’re domesticated.
The law makes it expressly illegal to shoot “doves or pigeons, other than wild doves or pigeons, belonging to any other person”. So if you really hate your neighbour’s pigeons, proceed with caution, unless you’re up for a visit to court.
5. Fruit-picking
Ever been on an incredible walk in Malta’s countryside (well what’s left of it) and picked a fantastic looking fruit hanging off a tree in a field nearby? Well, congratulations, you’re a criminal.
It’s illegal to “pluck or eat” fruit or any other produce for that matter from a privately owned field. So if that juicy fig is hanging precariously over a rubble wall, turn away.
6. Being indecently dressed
Topless bathing in pearl-clutching Malta remains illegal, even if you’ve found you’re own little private part coastline. But hey, the law doesn’t limit it to popular beaches. It is a crime for anyone “to go naked or be indecently dressed” in “the harbours, on the seashore or in any other public place”.
Indecently dressed, however, leaves a lot open for interpretation, unlike several Paceville club goers.
7. Don’t be “idle and vagrant”
The ever-so humble Maltese make it a point to make sure everyone knows how generous we are, rolling out the charity red carpet every time Peppi Azzopardi asks people to donate from the comfort of their own homes.
But if you’re begging on the street, you’re going to land yourself in prison, because nothing screams caring about an issue than throwing money at it when it’s behind the black mirror.
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