Police in Spain have arrested a man for alleged sexual assault after he touched a TV reporter’s bottom while she was live on air.
Journalist Isa Balado was reporting on a robbery in Madrid for channel Cuatro on Tuesday when a man approached her from the rear and put his hand on her behind before asking her which television channel she worked for.
Balado, still live on air, tried to push the man aside and continued her report.
But she was interrupted by the news programme’s host, Nacho Abad, who was speaking to her from the TV studio.
“Isa, forgive me for interrupting you… but did he just touch your butt?” he asked.
“Yes,” the reporter replied.
Sounding angered, Abad insisted she put the “idiot” on camera.
Balado confronted the man in the street, and told him that she had been trying to do her job.
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The man reapproached the reporter as she continued her live broadcast. Pic: Cuatro
“As much as you want to ask what channel we are from, do you really have to touch my ass? I’m doing a live show and I’m working,” she said.
The man immediately denied touching her bottom – and as he walked away, rubbed her hair.
He continued to linger in the street and approached her once more, while she was still live on air, and said he had heard her accusations and she should “tell the truth”.
Balado asked for the live broadcast to be cut because she did not want to give the man any more attention.
Police said in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, that a man had been arrested for sexually assaulting a reporter live on air.
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Police said a man was arrested for sexually assaulting a reporter live on air. Pic: Policia Nacional
Mediaset Espana, owner of the news channel, issued a statement expressing its full support for Balado.
The company said she had experienced an “absolutely intolerable situation” and added it “categorically rejects any type of harassment or aggression”.
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The incident comes as Spain is embroiled in a debate over sexism sparked by the scandal involving a kiss on the lips by former Spanish FA president, Luis Rubiales, on World Cup winner Jenni Hermoso.
His conduct at last month’s Women’s World Cup final which Spain won 1-0 against England has caused widespread criticism and cost him his job, as well as a suspension by football’s governing body FIFA.
He is due in court on Friday over the alleged unsolicited kiss.
