Several thousand angry protesters who want Malta's prime minister to step down immediately are blocking him and his party's legislators from leaving parliament.
Joseph Muscat announced on Sunday night that he would resign in January amid public pressure over the investigation into the 2017 killing of investigative journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia.
But some want him to leave office now, and up to 4,000 demonstrators gathered near parliament's entrance on Monday. Police were trying to keep them back.
Last week, the former chief aide to Mr Muscat was questioned by police investigating Ms Galizia's killing. A prominent businessman was charged last week as the bombing's organiser.
Malta's president, George Vella, has called on the nation to stay calm, saying: "These are not normal times."
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