The intervention, reported by Newsbook, followed weeks of dispute over what was described as an unauthorised extension outside the restaurant and the newly opened Sliema Centric hotel. The encroachment included not just the paving but also a structure, tables and chairs, which had already been removed by the time officers arrived.
The paving was the part that lingered, and in a case like this that is not a trivial detail. Fresh surfacing on a pavement can make an occupation of public space look settled before it is lawful, especially on a busy waterfront stretch where private business and shared access sit uncomfortably close together.
Residents, the local council and NGOs had all objected, according to Newsbook. On 1 October, Stivala was issued an enforcement notice ordering him to dismantle the structure. The tables and chairs remained in place until last week; they were removed, then put back out again, before being taken away once more.
An eviction notice also informed Stivala that the land being occupied was public property and that he had neither legal title nor a permit authorising its use.
As part of the latest action, he was given 30 days to restore the land to its original condition.
Isla Camilleri 
Dua Mifsud