Las Palmas Gourmet Beach Bar is facing mounting public pressure following its refusal to clarify whether a man in a blue shirt – seen standing nearby while a woman was being beaten – is connected to the establishment.

Contacted by WhosWho.mt, the restaurant declined to answer whether the man, who failed to intervene during the assault, is one of the owners or has any direct link to Las Palmas. The question was posed over the phone, but the individual who answered refused to provide a comment.

The incident, which took place just outside the restaurant’s Baħar iċ-Ċagħaq premises last month, has triggered a wave of public backlash, particularly in the comments section of Las Palmas’ recent public statement disassociating itself from the violent altercation.

The statement, posted to the restaurant’s Facebook page, generated strong reactions from social media users – many of whom questioned not only the restaurant’s role in the incident, but whether the man in the blue shirt, who stood passively nearby, is in fact affiliated with the business.

The widely circulated video shows a man in a blue shirt standing a few steps away as a woman - later identified as Caroline Magro – is violently assaulted by another man. Many viewers expressed outrage at the man's failure to intervene, directing questions at Las Palmas regarding his identity and connection to the establishment.

In the comment thread, the restaurant confirmed that the individual who carried out the assault is not connected to them. However, they have so far refused to clarify whether the man in the blue shirt has any affiliation, a stance that has only fuelled further speculation and public frustration over a perceived lack of transparency.

At the same time, several people raised concerns about the longstanding access path to the sea. One commenter on Facebook alleged the confrontation may have been sparked by the restaurant’s outdoor furniture and umbrellas blocking a traditional public passage.

“And also we must not forget why this happened. You have blocked the way to the beach from the little pathway with umbrellas. That passageway has been there for many, many years,” one user wrote.

In its comment, Las Palmas reiterated its cooperation with authorities, stating: “We have fully cooperated with Naxxar Police Station, providing all available information and CCTV in order to help solve the case. We have fully cooperated with Times of Malta, helping them with info and identification. We have offered all our resources in solving the case and yet [we are] linked as [a] violent venue, while no one is related to the restaurant. Can anyone see the point?”

However, this defence did little to reassure some, with one user replying:

“So third parties who have no connection to your establishment decided to beat a woman because she complained over the outdoor furniture blocking her path? How does that make any sense?”

The assault left Caroline Magro with a black eye, facial scratches, and multiple bruises. Both Ms Magro and the alleged aggressor, identified as John Portelli, have filed police reports.

Las Palmas continues to stress that it does not tolerate violence and maintains that no staff members were involved in the incident.