      PUBLIC MEETINGS  [ CAP. 68.   1
CHAPTER 68
PUBLIC MEETINGS ORDINANCE
To repeal and to re-enact with amendments the law relating to Public
Meetings and Assemblies.
(12th June, 1931) *
Enacted by ORDINANCE XX of 1931, as amended by Ordinance VIII of
1933; Act XXX of 1955; Ordinances: XX of 1959, XXV of 1962; Legal
Notices: 4 of 1963, 46 of 1965; Acts: XXII of 1971, LVIII of 1974, XXII of
1976, XI of 1977, VIII of 1982, XIII of 1983 and XIII of 1993.
Short title.
Ordinance.
Interpretation. 
Substituted by: 
XIII. 1993.2.
2. In this Ordinance -
"demonstration" or "public demonstration" means any assembly
or gathering of more than twenty persons in any public street,
square or open space, having for its object the common public
manifestation of welcome, approval or condemnation; and except
for the purposes of sections 20 to 23 of this Ordinance does not
include a spontaneous demonstration;
"meeting" or "public meeting" means any gathering of more than
twenty persons assembled for the public discussion of any matter,
in any public street, square or open space and includes a
demonstration;
"spontaneous demonstration" means a demonstration which is
not organised or advertised beforehand.
Notice to hold 
public meeting. 
Substituted by: 
XXX.1955.2. 
Amended by: 
XXII.1976.4; 
XIII.1993.3.
3. Every person over the age of eighteen years and every
association of such persons shall be allowed to hold a public
meeting, provided that:
(i) notice thereof in writing is given to the
Commissioner of Police not earlier than eight
days nor later than forty-eight hours before the
meeting;
(ii) the said notice of the meeting, if it is to be held
in the island of Malta, is delivered by hand at the
office of the Commissioner of Police and if the
meeting is to be held in the island of Gozo or
Comino, is delivered by hand at the office of the
Commissioner of Police or alternatively at the
office of the senior Police officer, Gozo, in the
Victoria Police station;
(iii) the delivery of a notice as aforesaid is effected
between the hours of 8.30 a.m. and 4.00 p.m.
during the period from 1st October of any year
to 3lst May of the next succeeding year and
between the hours of 8.00 a.m. and 3.00 p.m.
* See  Proclamation No. XXI of the 12th of June, 1931.
  2        CAP. 68. ]                PUBLIC MEETINGS 
during the period from 1st June to 30th
September.
Particulars to be 
stated in notice. 
Amended by: 
XXV.1962.3; 
L.N. 46 of 1965. 
Substituted by: 
XIII. 1993.4.
4. The said notice shall specify:
( a ) whether the object of the notice is a demonstration or
any other meeting;
( b ) the place, date and time of the meeting;
( c ) the name and surname of the person giving the notice,
and his address:
   Provided that where the meeting is to be held by an association,
the notice shall be given by the secretary or his representative, who
shall together with his name, surname and address also specify his
office, the name of the association he represents and its address.
Receipt of notice. 
A mended by: 
XXX. 1955.3; 
XIII. 1993.5.
5. (1) The Commissioner of Police shall give a receipt for the
said notice, stating therein the time at which the notice was
received.
(2) The Commissioner of Police shall moreover keep a record
showing in chronological order the notices received by him and
specifying the name of the person or association proposing to hold
the meeting, the date, time and place where the meeting is proposed
to be held and the date and time when the notice is given.
(3) When two or more persons whether as individuals or on
behalf of an association simultaneously give notice of their
intention of holding a meeting in the same locality and at the same
time, preference shall be given to the person whose name is
extracted at a ballot held by the Commissioner of Police or any
other Police officer deputed by him.
Prohibition to hold 
public meetings 
before 48 hours 
from notice.
6. No public meeting shall be held before the lapse of forty-
eight hours from the notice referred to in section 3.
Power of 
Commissioner of 
Police to fix a 
place for the 
meeting other than 
that stated in the 
notice.  
Amended by:
XXX. 1955.4.
7. (1) The Commissioner of Police may order the public
meeting to which the notice refers to be held in a place other than
that stated in the notice; and may also order that the meeting shall
not be held on any day on which, in the town or village wherein it is
intended to hold the meeting, any public solemnity or festival is to
be held.
(2) For the purposes of this section the words "public
solemnity" shall include solemn functions held internally in any
church, which, it is reasonable to think, might be interfered with by
the sounds of speeches delivered at or by the commotion caused by
a public meeting held in the vicinity of that church.
Open air meetings. 
Amended by: 
XX. 1959.2; 
XIII.1993.6.
8. No public open air meeting shall in any case be held in any
public street, or in any other public place than that assigned by the
Commissioner of Police under the provisions of the last preceding
section.
      PUBLIC MEETINGS  [ CAP. 68.   3
Processions to or 
from public 
meetings. 
Repealed by: 
XXX. 1955..5 
Added by: 
XX.1959.3. 
Substituted by: 
XXII.1971.2. 
Amended by: 
XIII. 1993.7.
9. (1) It shall not be lawful to return from a public meeting on
procession unless notice for such purpose, together with the details
of the route intended to be followed, has been given in writing to
the Commissioner of Police not earlier than eight days and not later
than six days before the meeting is due to be held and unless the
Commissioner of Police has signified his approval in writing.
(2) Any person who shall form part of a procession in
contravention of the last preceding subsection shall be guilty of an
offence and liable on conviction to imprisonment for a term not
exceeding three months.
Power of 
Commissioner of 
Police to make 
regulations. 
Amended by: 
L.N. 4 of 1963; 
VIII.1982.2; 
XIII.1993.8.
10. The Commissioner of Police may, with the authority of the
Minister responsible for the Police, make regulations for the
maintenance of good order on the occasion of any public meeting,
and for prescribing the giving of notice in respect of activities
referred to in section 7 of this Ordinance, including the time when
and the place where such notice is to be given. Regulations under
this section may prescribe among other things, the length of time
that public meetings may take, and the times during which public
meetings may commence or continue.
Right of 
Commissioner of 
Police to attend 
meeting.
11. The Commissioner of Police or any other Police officer
deputed by him may attend any public meeting and choose his
place at such meeting.
Duty to maintain 
character of 
meeting. 
Amended by: 
XXX. 1955.7; 
XIII. 1993.9.
12. Any person allowed to hold a public meeting under section
3 shall be bound to maintain the character of the meeting as
specified in the notice mentioned in that section.
Punishments for 
holding meeting in 
contravention of 
ss. 3, 4, 6, 7 and 8.
Amended by:
XI. 1977.2.
13. Any public meeting held in contravention of sections 3, 4,
6, 7 and 8 shall be dispersed; and the promoters thereof shall, on
conviction, be liable to detention or to imprisonment for a term not
exceeding three months.
Power of Police to 
disperse meeting. 
Amended by: 
XIII. 1993.10. 
14. The Police may disperse a public meeting in each of the
following cases - 
( a ) if the person, or the representative of the association
allowed to hold the meeting under section 3 does no
present himself;
( b ) if any seditious cries are uttered constituting a crime
against the safety of the Government or against public
peace;
Cap. 9.
during the meeting.
Order to disperse. 
Amended by: 
XXX. 1955.8; 
XIII. 1993.11.
15. (1) The order to disperse shall be given by distinct formal
intimations given by such means as the senior member of the Police
force present may deem adequate. For the purpose of giving such
intimation any member of the Police Force may use any public
address system which may be in use at the meeting.
(2) Should the said intimations fail to have effect the meeting
may be dispersed by the use of force.
  4        CAP. 68. ]                PUBLIC MEETINGS 
(3) It shall also be lawful to use force if no intimation can be
made owing to revolt or opposition.
(4) Any person refusing to obey the said intimations shall, on
conviction, be liable to imprisonment from three days to three
months.
Cancellation of 
meeting. 
Added by: 
XXX. 1955.9. 
Amended by: 
XIII.1983.5.
16. (1) If after having been allowed, under section 3 of this
Ordinance, a meeting is not held and the person who was allowed
to hold the meeting fails, without just cause, the proof whereof
shall lie on him, to deliver not less than six hours before the time
fixed for the opening of the meeting a notice in writing of the
cancellation of such meeting at the office of the Commissioner of
Police or of any Police inspector if the meeting was to have been
held in Malta or alternatively at the office of the senior Police
officer, Gozo, in the Victoria Police station if the meeting was to be
held in the island of Gozo or Comino, that person shall be liable to
a fine ( ammenda ) of not less than twenty liri but not exceeding fifty
liri:
  Provided, however, that the justification provided for in this
section shall not be deemed established unless the notice therein
referred to is given immediately it became possible to give it.
(2) When a meeting proposed to be held is cancelled within the
prescribed time, the person who next gave notice of his intention to
hold a meeting at the same place, date and time of the meeting
which has been cancelled or, in the case provided for in subsection
(3) of section 5, the person whose name was not extracted at the
ballot, shall be allowed to hold the meeting if he so wishes:
  Provided that if more than one person is eligible under this
subsection, the provisions of subsection (3) of section 5 shall
apply. 
Breaking up of 
public meeting. 
Amended by: 
XX. 1959.5. 
17. Any person who shall disburse or pay or promise to pay
any sum of money or shall offer any other valuable consideration to
any other person for the purpose of breaking up a meeting lawfully
convened or of disturbing public peace at any such meeting, or in
any other way induces or attempts to induce any other person to
break up such a meeting, or to disturb the public peace at such a
meeting, and any person who shall afford the means of transport to
any person or persons or in any other manner organize or abet the
organization of any gathering of persons for the purpose of
breaking up a meeting lawfully convened or of disturbing public
peace at any such meeting, shall, on conviction, be liable to
imprisonment from seven days to four months.
Prohibition to take 
part in any 
assembly with 
intent to break up a 
public meeting. 
18. Any person who shall form part of any assembly with
intent to break up a meeting lawfully convened or to disturb public
peace at any such meeting, shall, on conviction, be liable to
imprisonment from seven days to three months.
      PUBLIC MEETINGS  [ CAP. 68.   5
Power of Minister 
responsible for the 
Police and 
Commissioner of 
Police to prohibit 
meetings. 
Amended by: 
VIII.1933.1; 
L.N. 4 of 1963; 
L.N. 46 of 1965; 
LVIII.1974.68; 
VIII.1982.2 .
19. (1) It shall be lawful for the Commissioner of Police, with
the approval of the Minister responsible for the Police, for reasons
of public order, to prohibit the holding of any public meeting in
respect of which notice has been given in terms of section 3.
(2) The President of Malta may by proclamation, for reasons of
public order, prohibit the holding of all public meetings for a
specified period not exceeding three months. Such prohibition may
be renewed for further periods each of which, however, shall not
exceed three months.
Power of 
Commissioner of 
Police to disperse 
demonstrations. 
Amended by: 
XXX. 1955.10.
20. It shall be lawful for the Commissioner of Police for
reasons of public order to disperse any demonstration.
Power of President 
of Malta to prohibit 
demonstrations. 
Amended by: 
VIII. 1933.2; 
L.N. 46 of 1965; 
LVIII. 1974.68. 
21. The President of Malta may, by proclamation, prohibit the
holding of all demonstrations in any place open to the public on any
particular occasion or for a specified period not exceeding three
months. Such prohibition may be renewed for further periods each
of which, however, shall not exceed three months.
Order for 
dispersion of 
demonstration.
22. The order for the dispersion of any demonstration held in
contravention of the last preceding section shall be given and may
be enforced in the manner set out in section 15.
Prohibition to take 
part in unlawful 
demonstration. 
Amended by: 
XXX.1955.11; 
XX.1959.6.
23. Any person who shall take part in any demonstration held
in contravention of the provisions of sections 20 and 21, or who
shall not disperse after an intimation by the Police to that effect
shall, on conviction, be liable to imprisonment for a term not
exceeding three months or to a fine ( multa ).
 General penalty.  
Amended by: 
XXX.1955.12.     
Cap. 9.
24. Save as otherwise expressly provided, any offence against
this Ordinance or against any regulations made under section 10
shall be subject to the punishments established for contraventions;
provided that where the act constitutes a graver offence in terms of
the Criminal Code the provisions of such Code shall apply.
