Police have launched a manhunt after a tourist allegedly punched a seagull close to death in front of horrified children in the Cornish seaside town of St Ives. The incident occurred on Wednesday when the suspect, who was with his family, reportedly struck the bird and smashed it against a wall after it snatched his pasty.
Witnesses Describe Horrifying Scene
One person posted online: 'This coward yesterday grabbed a seagull in St Ives and killed it in front of families and children on the seafront.' Another witness said they placed the injured gull in a quiet corner, noting that shock can be dangerous for wild animals. 'By the time I finished my shift, it was up and trundling around. When we went to see it, it was gone,' they added. The witness expressed hope that the bird suffered only extreme shock but acknowledged it had a sizeable rupture on its chest and took 'ridiculously hard punches.'
On Reddit, a parent described how a man 'grabbed a seagull and punched it almost to death in front of many people including my two-year-old son and nephew,' calling the scene 'absolutely horrifying.'
Seagulls Protected Under Law
Despite their ubiquity at the seaside, seagulls are a dwindling species with just over a million in the UK. All gulls are fully protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, making it illegal to kill, injure, or take any wild gull without a licence. Herring gulls receive absolute protection, and penalties include unlimited fines and up to six months imprisonment.
However, one local defended the suspect, arguing: 'I'm a bird lover but if a person ran up to me and tried to steal my property and I knocked them out, I would be praised. If he punched the bird instinctively protecting his property, it's a lot different to planning the attack.'
Police Appeal for Information
A Devon and Cornwall Police spokesman said: 'We are appealing for witnesses and footage following a report of a seagull being attacked in St Ives. We received a third hand report about the incident which is said to have taken place on the seafront on the afternoon of Wednesday 10 June. Social media posts stated that a man punched and beat a seagull. Despite posts being widely shared online, the matter was not reported to us by anyone present at the scene.'
