Shocking moment Spanish police beat British tourists with a baton for 'singing in the street' and then tried to 'force the cameramen to delete video of the incident'

  • Daniel Davis witnessed incident involving Spanish police in Majorca on Saturday
  • Mr Davis said British holidaymakers were singing in the street when cops arrived 
  • He said police laid into crowd with a baton and one officer was carrying a whip
  • Mr Davis said officers then tried to force him to delete footage from his phone 
  • Did you witness the beating? Email: chris.pleasance@mailonline.com 

Spanish police have been accused of heavy-handed tactics after they were filmed beating British holiday-makers on the party island of Majorca.

Footage taken in the popular city of Santa Ponsa shows one officer with his truncheon drawn hitting holidaymakers as they share a sing-along in the street.

Witness Daniel Davis, 34, said one officer was even carrying a whip and using it to hit people during the incident on Saturday night.

Daniel Davis, 34, filmed Spanish police beating British holidaymakers on Majorca
Video shows one officer hitting people with a baton

Daniel Davis, 34, filmed Spanish police beating British holidaymakers in Santa Ponsa on the island of Majorca on Saturday

'Kids were chanting in the street. All of a sudden a car was trying to get past and that's when the police arrived,' he said.

'They came running in and were hitting everyone, they were so aggressive.'

The roofer, of Kendal, Cumbria, was on a week's holiday with his girlfriend, his brother and his brother's girlfriend and is due to fly back on Wednesday.

When police saw him filming, he claims they tried to take his phone.

He says they made him delete some of his footage, but his phone died half way through, meaning the rest of the film was saved.

The Irish quarter

The Irish quarter of Santa Ponsa, where this incident is alleged to have taken place, is a notorious party spot in the resort town.

Filled with pubs and kebab shops, it is known to attract young people looking for a wild night out, and is often the site of trouble.

Most of the bars are located along Carrer de Ramon de Montcada, where this incident took place, opposite the Green Hills nightclub and Infinity bar.

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'There is a massive problem over there. They do not like anybody,' he said. 'They were just kids.

'There were two or three that were hitting people. They then called for back up, but the crowds weren't aggressive or violent, they weren't actually doing anything, only singing.

'There were people walking past who were getting hit. It was so aggressive.'

Daniel said he saw one 17 or 18-year-old being beaten with a baton. He was so scared he came to him for help as he was older.

'It was a massive over-reaction by the police,' he said. 'Girls were screaming 'what the hell has just happened?'

'The policeman knew it was an overreaction because he wanted me to delete the film. He went pale when he saw my battery die because he knew he couldn't do anything then.

'I hid my phone down my pants. I was worried they would arrest me. They didn't ask any questions, just got out the car, then bang bang bang.

Mr Davis said the tourists were signing in the street before the police started hitting them
Mr Davis claims the police tried to make him delete the footage

Mr Davis said the tourists were signing in the street before the police started hitting them, then tried to make him delete his video of the incident

'I come to the same place every year and I've never seen anything like this before.'

Spanish authorities have tried to crack down on rowdy behaviour in recent years, introducing a 'rulebook' with heavy fines for offenders.

Calvia mayor Alfonso Rodriguez has also floated banning boozy all-inclusive deals to cut down on violence and lewd acts.

Recent figures also show how many tourists have been thrown out of their hotels for rowdy behaviour in the region - and most of them are Brits.

Figures released by the local hotel association show 47 holidaymakers were asked to leave the place they were staying in the Majorcan resorts in June, and 94% were British.