The police force has opened an internal investigation into claims by a Maltese mother that officers took her son into a van and beat him for not wearing a mask.

The Professional Standards office will be leading the investigation, a police spokesperson confirmed with Lovin Malta. They neither confirmed nor denied the incident. 

The shocking allegations allegedly occurred last night in Paceville after the man was going to grab a taxi after having a drink in Paceville. His family claim that police approached him after he was seen not wearing a mask, before ending in a physical confrontation.

Images of the man have been circulating online, showing bruises and welts across his back.

Speaking to Lovin Malta, the mother said: “I didn’t believe him until he showed me his back, and I saw all those bruises and then I recoiled… if he deserved to be fined for not wearing a mask, that’s fair, but did he deserve to be slaughtered like this?” she asked.