The woman injured in a violent incident outside Las Palmas Gourmet Beach Bar in Baħar iċ-Ċagħaq last month has spoken out, directly identifying the man seen in footage of the assault as one of the restaurant’s bosses.

Speaking to WhosWho.mt, 49-year-old Caroline Magro describes the ordeal as “a nightmare” and questions how the establishment could publicly deny any association with the individuals involved.

“I am certain that the guy in the blue shirt is Filip. He is one of the bosses,” she says, referring to Filip Nikolovski, a figure linked to Las Palmas.

Footage of the 16th July incident shows Ms Magro being repeatedly struck by John Portelli after an argument over outdoor furniture escalated. A man in a blue shirt can be seen standing by, not intervening.

While Las Palmas has insisted the man is not connected to its management, Ms Magro insists otherwise.

“I honestly don’t know how they can go on Facebook and say they are not associated with the incident,” she says.

WhosWho.mt has attempted to contact Las Palmas directly to clarify whether Mr Nikolovski is indeed the person seen standing by during the violent incident. The restaurant declined to comment despite repeated attempts to confirm his identity, although the reaction leads us to believe that the person in the blue shirt is indeed Mr Nikolovski.

‘I feel like I am living a nightmare’

The pathway next to the restaurant 

Ms Magro says she had been trying to walk along a public pathway next to the restaurant, which she claims was obstructed by umbrellas, tables and chairs. When she complained, an argument broke out with Mr Portelli.

“I know I have a right to pass from there. I remember that place in its original state when I was young. It is public land from my knowledge,” she says.

She describes contacting authorities that day in frustration.

“I contacted the Malta Tourism Authority and they weren’t helpful. I contacted the Planning Authority too and they said the permit process is still ongoing. That day I called the Naxxar Local Council and they told me they knew about the tables and chairs and to contact the police. The police told me to call the local council again. Finally, the council told me to ask them [the restaurant] to remove the tables and chairs for me.”

It was during this confrontation, she says, that the situation spiralled. “The man that hit me, John Portelli, is the son of the original owner. He told me I could pass, but then it escalated into insults about my family and even my dead relatives. He pushed me to the ground. I had a backpack, another bag, and I was holding two dog leashes near a busy road. I didn’t want to let them go as I was afraid the dogs would run and die.”

Both Ms Magro and Mr Portelli filed police reports against each other, with Mr Portelli claiming self-defence. “John Portelli insists that he acted out of self-defence, that I hit him and injured his face. But he doesn’t have any medical certificate to prove it. I do. I have medical proof of the bruises, my black eye, and the injuries to my body,” Ms Magro says.

Caroline Magro's black eye and one of the bruises she had

She adds that she has also been left facing an unexpected financial burden. “My teeth are porcelain, so I don’t feel pain there. Later I noticed something was wrong and went to the dentist. He told me it would cost €2,300 to fix.”

‘What damage could I have done?’

Frustrated, Ms Magro rejects the self-defence claim, saying her physical condition and the circumstances make it implausible.

“I am 49 years old. What damage could I have done if I wanted to? I don’t even have a lot of strength, and I was carrying bags and two dogs. My backpack was torn when he pushed me. Meanwhile he admitted to the police that he hit me, but claims it was in self-defence.”

She also dismisses suggestions that her dogs were involved. “When the police called me again, someone told me that Mr Portelli is saying that one of the dogs bit him. I started laughing. My dogs are very sweet, and they didn’t do anything as you can see in the video. They don’t know violence. Even when they act up I correct them with love, not violence.”

What troubles her further, however, is the inaction of others present. “There were people eating that day, and they didn’t bother to come and help me. Is this what Malta has come to?”

A question of accountability

The case raises broader questions about accountability: whether the public has a right of way in contested spaces, and how authorities respond when disputes escalate into violence.

For Ms Magro, the lack of clarity from official channels only deepened her sense of helplessness. “I feel like I am living a nightmare. I spent three weeks feeling helpless and desperate. I was even questioning myself. But when the video was published, I thanked God, because it confirmed I wasn’t just dreaming, and people could see what happened.”

The police investigation remains ongoing. Both parties have filed reports, and the case is expected to proceed to court.

In the meantime, Ms Magro says her only wish is for justice. “I pray that at least he pays me for the damage he did to my teeth. And I thank God I did not break any bones.”