Spanish police arrest man for groping reporter Isa Balado while live on air

Balado was reporting on a robbery in Madrid for channel Cuatro when a man groped her on camera.

Police in Spain have arrested a man for sexually assaulting a journalist while she was on air.

Isa Balado was reporting on a robbery on Tuesday in Madrid when a man approached her from behind and groped her before asking which channel she worked for.

Balado confronted him, explaining that she was working and tried to continue with her report, but host Nacho Abad insisted that she show the man’s face on camera.

Police said in a message on X, formerly Twitter, that a man had been arrested on Tuesday for sexually assaulting a reporter.

The incident occurred as Spain is grappling with sexism after the former president of Spain’s football federation kissed a national team player on the lips after the Women’s World Cup final last month.

Mediaset Espana, which owns Cuatro, said it “categorically repudiates any form of harassment or aggression”.

“We fully support Isa Balado, reporter for ‘En boca de todos’ [On Everyone’s Lips], after the absolutely intolerable situation she has suffered today.”

The incident garnered a lot of attention online, prompting internet users and government officials to condemn it.

Labour Minister Yolanda Diaz chimed in, tweeting, “It is machismo that makes journalists suffer sexual assaults like this, and the aggressors are unrepentant in front of the camera.”