The unusual scene was filmed at Barcelona airport: with mariachi music playing in the background, a man can be seen tying another person, a suspected pickpocket, to a barrier with the sleeve of a sweater, under the gaze of several travelers… It happened in one of the terminals of Barcelona-El Prat airport and is now making the rounds on social networks as the Mossos d’Esquadra, the Catalan police, are often overwhelmed by the number of pickpockets operating in the region. Which can lead some to want to play the role of police officers themselves, without being in charge of public authority.
In the footage filmed at the airport, a man in a black cap can be seen intercepting a suspected pickpocket, before managing to restrain her by hanging the sweater she was wearing on her head – to hide her face – on a railing in an airport hall. The suspected pickpocket tries to struggle, while the man seems to want to attract the attention of the passengers.
Since its publication, the video has sparked many reactions, particularly around these controversial self-defense methods. It is not known whether the police ultimately intervened.
