Today, 7th June, is a Maltese national holiday commemorating events which occurred on this day in 1919, when following a series of riots by the Maltese population, British troops fired into the crowd, killing four. This monument is currently located in Hastings gardens, Valletta. In the aftermath of World War I, with the disruptions in agriculture and industry across the whole of the continent, the Maltese colonial government failed to provide an adequate supply of basic food provisions for the islands. The cost of living increased dramatically, imports were limited, food became scarce and consequently prices rose. Dockyard and government workers found that wage increases were not keeping up with the increase in food prices and hence the riots.
@bill_d@jpgiorgio@ivb@chamal@jenrobcarr@ladyrazzor@mrssmith Thanks for your comments. I don't think the British were ever popular with a section of the Maltese who from day one never accepted being a British colony - after all they stepped in to help the Maltese oust the French and not as conquerors. But most of the Maltese got on very well with them.
June 8th, 2011
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