Disturbing footage captures the man slapping the couple's one-year-old baby, before threatening to kill the parents in the middle of an outdoor tourist hotspot
A horrifying attack that broke out at a tourist hotspot has sparked outrage amongst locals after a man was seen slapping a baby - and then threatening to kill the tot's parents for no apparent reason.
Disturbing footage captures the man shouting at a couple in an outdoor area before launching an unprovoked attack on their one-year-old, hitting the baby and then attempting to go after the parents. The incident took place on a walkway at Montjuic hill, Barcelona - a tourist destination popular amongst Brits.
It comes amid ongoing anti-tourism demonstrations which have swept Spain in recent months and seen locals urging tourists to "go home". The shocking footage quickly made the rounds on social media, showing the tot waddling in front of her pushchair before she is suddenly slapped and carried to safety by her father.
The baby is then heard crying as her horrified parents back away from the man as quickly as possible. It is not the first attack committed by the 31-year-old perpetrator, local media reports. The man had allegedly assaulted two others over the weekend, before being arrested by police on Sunday, October 6. Among his victims was a 60-year-old man who sustained horror cuts and bruises to both his face and body.
The attacker was caught from video footage and eyewitness accounts and was due to appear in court on Tuesday. In his latest attack against the couple and baby, police said the tot suffered minor injuries but did not require hospital treatment.
Some 2,800 protesters took to the streets of Barcelona in July to protest against rising levels of tourism. The movement in Barcelona has been sparked by a current housing crisis that has reportedly seen costs increase by 68% in the last decade alone. In August, Barcelona residents attempted to thwart tourists by spraying "go home" graffiti on its buildings.
The destination is believed to be a "victim of its own success" as the number of tourists visiting their shores is predicted to hit 95 million by the end of 2024. In just the first five months of this year, tourism numbers jumped by around 11% to 33.2 million, with a further 44 million holidaymakers touching down by the end of September.