Man arrested after grabbing the bottom of a Spanish TV reporter live on air. In Madrid, journalist Isa Balado was reporting when a man approached her and grabbed her bottom.
Journalist Isa Balado was in Madrid covering the story of shopkeepers arrested for assaulting a thief who tried to rob them.
She was in the middle of a live studio report when a man approached her from behind and grabbed her bottom, asking what show she worked for.
“Isa, sorry to interrupt, did they just touch your butt?” her colleague in the studio asked.
“Yes,” said Balado, who turned to the man and asked, “As much as you want to ask us which channel we work for, do you really have to touch my ass?”
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The 25-year-old Romanian national initially laughed and denied doing anything wrong, then apologized and stared at her as the reporter begged him to let her do her job.
After being tipped off by the programme, Madrid police arrested the man and took him to the Family and Women’s Department of the Madrid Police Headquarters.
They will now examine the images and interview both the man and Balado.
The show’s host said live on air, “This guy is an idiot,” and asked the cameraman to zoom in on the man so he could see his face.
He hadn’t moved far after the assault and was still standing next to the journalist, watching her as she went about her business. When she walked away, the man reappeared, this time touching her hair.
The channel issued a statement in which it stated that it “rejects any form of harassment or aggression” and expressed its support for the reporter “after the absolutely intolerable situation she has endured.”
Several employees also spoke out against the attack.
Man arrested after grabbing the bottom of a Spanish TV reporter live on air, Check the Tweet:
🚩Detenido por agredir sexualmente a una reportera mientras estaba realizando un directo de televisión #Madrid pic.twitter.com/vKkBjNXJve
— Policía Nacional (@policia) September 12, 2023
