A man who appeared to touch a news reporter during a live broadcast in Spain has been arrested after being accused of sexual assault.
The arrest follows the caught-on-camera incident where an unnamed man was caught on camera seemingly touching reporter Isa Balado on the backside.
Balado was live on air at the time for the Spanish broadcaster Cuatro as the disturbing footage captured the man approaching Balado from behind and, to the astonishment of viewers, appearing to touch her backside before asking about what network she was reporting for.
Balado promptly pushed him away and continued her reporting. However, the incident didn't go unnoticed by Nacho Abad, the anchor back in the studio, who interrupted the broadcast to inquire about the incident.
Balado confirmed that she had indeed been touched inappropriately, prompting Abad to express his desire to speak with the individual responsible.
She confronted the man, questioning why he felt the need to touch her. In response, the man denied any wrongdoing, even attempting to pat Balado on the head before retreating from the scene.
The video capturing this initial interaction quickly gained viral traction, amassing more than 4 million views on the official X account of the program.
Balado and another woman on the street said that such inappropriate behavior by men was sadly commonplace in the area.
The man then returned to the scene, making a hands-off gesture as he approached. He then implored Balado to "tell the truth" about the earlier incident, to which she responded by saying that she didn't want to engage with him any further.
Following the alleged sexual assault, the authorities were alerted, and the Spain National Police promptly took action.
They later tweeted footage of the man in handcuffs, along with an explanation that he had been arrested for "sexually assaulting a reporter while she was doing a live television shot."
In the aftermath of the incident, the parent company of Cuatro voiced their support for Isa Balado, condemning the "intolerable situation" she had endured while on camera.
Spain's Labour Minister Yolanda Díaz addressed the troubling altercation on X, stating that the incident stems from toxic masculinity. She further said that journalists should not have to endure sexual assaults of this nature before stating that those responsible very rarely show remorse.
This isn't the only scandal emerging from Spain in recent times, as Luis Rubiales has been subject to intense scrutiny after he kissed footballer Jenni Hermoso on the lips after the country won the Women's World Cup.
Hermoso, the 33-year-old forward at the center of the controversy, vehemently stated that she did not give consent for the intimate gesture.
Rubiales maintains that the kiss was consensual, a claim that the Federation has also endorsed.
As per BBC News, Rubiales is today in court to answer a criminal complaint about the kiss.
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