A man who was vandalizing the main staircase of the Grand Master’s Palace in Valletta this afternoon was caught in the act and arrested soon afterwards.
The man, employed by a contractor to carry out cleaning duties at the Palace, was caught drawing graffiti on a part of the wall of the round staircase and on balustrades located in the same stairway.
The Police were called to the scene immediately and an investigation is ongoing.
Conservators from Heritage Malta and other professional staff have established that furniture varnish was used in the vandalism. Preliminary assessments suggest that no permanent damage has occurred, and restoration efforts are already underway. In addition to police investigations, Heritage Malta is conducting its own investigation into the matter.
The Grand Master’s Palace was reopened to the public in January this year following an extensive restoration project.
