Man arrested in Gijón, Spain, for killing seagull stealing food

What is a seagull worth in Gijón? Enough to land a citizen in jail

The question many ask after Wednesday's events on Calle Corrida in Gijón: why does the National Police immediately arrest a man who twists a seagull's neck, but takes hours—or never—responds to robberies or assaults? A man sitting at a popular bar's terrace saw the bird dive for his snack. He reacted with violence some call disproportionate: he hit it, leaving it dying. A woman called the police, who arrested him for animal abuse. He spent several hours in custody.

Contrast between penalties and police priorities
The incident has exposed an inconsistency noted by many citizens: while Local and National Police have resources to detain bird abusers, they lack them—or do not use them—to pursue crimes against people. In the same thread, mention is made of an individual who threatened and assaulted waitresses in Gijón days earlier, with over fifteen arrests to his name, yet remains free. "For the terrace guy, surely Spanish and salaried, they rubbed their hands when they saw him," one analysis ironically notes. The yardstick doesn't seem the same.

Seagull: pest or protected species?
The debate has its nuances: seagulls are not an endangered species but an urban pest. Indeed, the City Council and Seprona (Nature Protection Service) refuse to collect pigeons or seagulls, considering them harmful. "What if it were a rat?" another analysis asks. The answer is that no one would arrest a citizen for crushing one. But the seagull has a "charisma factor" and enjoys certain media protection. Meanwhile, witnesses report several people stroking the dying bird on the ground, a gesture many label as performative virtue signaling. "Then they went home to eat a beef chop," summarizes one of the sharpest voices.

Cruelty or self-defense: limits of reaction
Some justify the reaction: the seagull is an aggressive animal, capable of injuring a child or snatching food. But others recall that twisting an animal's neck over a snack denotes cruelty beyond self-defense. "In a healthy society, no one would kill a seagull for stealing a snack," argues one view; the opposing side replies that dehumanization belongs to the killer, not the animal. The law is clear: animal abuse is incivil and punishes even common birds. The detainee was released after testifying, but his action cost him time in custody and a headline in local press.

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The curious aspect of the case is that, while some debate whether the man is a psychopath or a citizen fed up with seagulls, the police system demonstrates an efficiency many wish existed for other matters. Perhaps what we need is not for the police to stop arresting seagull abusers, but to apply the same diligence regarding people. But meanwhile, at least Gijón's seagulls have someone avenging them.

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