You reap what you sow? As we are - and are becoming. Why is this happening?

When I was a youngster the Police Force and its officials were held high in esteem on a plinth as the guardians of law and order. They were there to be respected and their word was the Rule of Law.

In those far off days, yes, they were selected more for their brawn than their brain, but times were tough, especially in places like Strait Street and the waterfronts of Gzira, Marsa, Valletta and the Cottonera area where battles with drunken sailors were frequent.

Obviously, many things have changed and recently even more with galloping technology. A drastic change has happened too in the levels of respect towards the Police Force and its representatives. The change is so drastic it is a matter of great concern.

Fair enough, since then there have been other changes. People are more aware of their rights, more aware of legislation and yes, as with all human beings, some errors are committed by the Police because they are human and to err is human.

However, there is a GREAT DIFFERENCE in standing up for one’s rights as opposed to showing gross disrespect and a dangerous dose of hate.

So, why is this happening and why is such disrespect on the alarming increase?

In recent weeks we have had two specific incidents in which it is being alleged that two youths, albeit two cousins, are not only alleged to have been disrespectful but are alleged to have acted with intention to physically harm Policemen.

The cases are sub judice and cannot be commented on. HOWEVER, let’s look at the wider picture and try to analyse what could be the cause for incidents and why they are happening.

Rebellion against Police authority is spread worldwide, whether it be in the United States, Britain, France, Italy, Spain, Greece, Russia – or wherever, and it is widely publicised by the media, backed by social media.

Very often, rebellion is promoted as being, just, macho, heroic and a way of expressing that one is over and above authority because now I am living in a world of freedom in which I am the Primus Inter pares and therefore I am above everything and everybody and I do what I want to do irrespective of everything.

The country has also embarked on a damaging political campaign staged by some factions for populist reasons in which the Authorities – particularly the Police – are being continually portrayed as villains and in a more widespread manner that the Courts and all institutions are corrupt, disregard the Rule of Law and hence no authorities may be trusted.

Some politicians stand by and actually APPLAUD a mob throwing stale tomatoes at a picture of the Police Commissioner – rather than condemning such atrocious behaviour outrightly.

In other instances, the Police remove rubbish from a national monument and moments later it is flung back on again. And so it has gone on and on, laced with continual allegations that the Police are not really investigating a particular murder, that the Police close their eyes when it suits them, and other such accusations.

This is a highly dangerous and anarchist trait against the Rule of Law and the impartiality of the Law Courts and various other institutions and it is rapidly filtering down to enable some people to take the law into their own hands and then with lawyers trying to justify this behaviour.

The English proverb is “you reap what you sow”.

Are we reaping what is being sowed and will continue doing so in greater doses?

ALBERT JEROME FENECH