Man arrested after grabbing woman's behind live on air as she reported on a robbery

A man has been arrested after touching a reporter's bottom as she was filming live television.

On Tuesday (12 September), journalist Isa Balado was reporting on a robbery in Madrid for the TV channel Cuatro when she was interrupted during the live broadcast.

In the footage - which has since become widespread on social media - a man could be seen approaching Balado from behind, recorded allegedly putting his hand on her bottom.

The man has since been found by police and arrested.

Content warning: Shows footage of alleged sexual assault some may find upsetting.

In the clip from the live broadcast, the man grabs Balado's behind and then goes on to ask her what television channel she works for - despite the reporter being mid-way through her report on the robbery.

Balado then tries to push the man away to continue, telling him: "One second. We are live."

But Cuatro's studio host, Nacho Abad, stops her, saying: "Isa, forgive me for interrupting you, [...] but did he just touch your behind?"

Balado confirms the man did and Abad asks his colleague to 'put this man in front of' the camera for him to see, calling him 'stupid'.

Balado turns to the man and says: "As much as you want to ask what channel we are from, do you really have to touch my bottom? I'm doing a live show and I'm working."

The man then denies he touched her behind before walking away, Balado reporting he's 'still here and continues down the street [...] high-fiving every girl he meets'.

According to Sky News, the man re-approached Balado later on in the broadcast telling her to tell 'the truth' about the incident.

Within the broadcast, Balado apologised for the interruption but Abad quickly responded: "No, you have nothing to feel sorry for. It makes me so mad."

The Policía Nacional has since revealed the man has been identified, located and arrested.

The authority uploaded a video to X - formerly known as Twitter - showing a man being escorted away in handcuffs by two police officials.

The caption reads: [Translation] "Arrested for sexually assaulting a reporter while she was doing a live television show #Madrid."

🚩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

Irene Mantero - Spain's acting equality minister - said on X: "What until now was ‘normal’ is no longer so. Non-consensual touching is sexual violence and we say enough to impunity."

Owner of Cuatro news channel, Mediaset Espana, stated: "We fully support Isa Balado, reporter for En Boca de Todos, after the absolutely intolerable situation she has suffered today."

Political scientist and member of the Madrid City Council, Rita Maestre, said: "Not so long ago something like this would have been considered anecdotal or 'nothing serious'.

"Today common sense tells us that there behaviours are intolerable. That change is called feminism.

"All my support to the journalist Isa Balado."

If you have been affected by any of the issues in this article and wish to speak to someone in confidence, contact The Survivor’s Trust for free on 08088 010 818, or through their website thesurvivorstrust.org