Man filmed kicking and shoving a woman, leaving bystanders rattled

A man was filmed kicking and shoving a woman and confronting bystanders in view of stunned tourists on the Cairns Esplanade. Watch the full video here.

A shocking video has emerged showing a street performance on the Cairns Esplanade being dramatically disrupted by a man who kicked, pushed and verbally abused a woman and several bystanders who attempted to intervene.

The video shows a large crowd gathered around a performer who was preparing to light a set of fire sticks.

At the top of the video, the entertainer can be heard saying, “Okay guys, just going to be putting some fuel on these fire sticks”, before a man starts swearing off camera.

The performer then says loudly into the microphone: “Sir, that’s not how you speak to a lady.”

The video showed a large crowd gathered around a performer who was preparing to light a set of fire stocks. Picture: Ashton Southall.

Ashton Southall from Edmonton, who recorded the incident, said he was out for an evening walk along the Esplanade and stopped at the lagoon to watch the street performer about 8pm on Saturday, July 19.

“I often go for an evening walk and I’ve seen like drunk people being a nuisance, but nothing like this,” he said.

As the man kicks and verbally abuses the woman in the confronting two-minute video, numerous bystanders attempt to intervene.

An older man can be seen approaching the aggressor as he yells at the woman sitting on the rock, before he turns on him.

The older man is pushed and shoved. His phone falls to the ground during the altercation and a woman with him tries to separate the two men.

“What are you going to do, dog?” he can be heard yelling into the older man’s face.

The aggressor continues hurling abuse at anyone who tries to help and at this point, more people began calling for police intervention.

“Can someone go get the cops?” witnesses can be heard yelling.

Another younger man also tries to intervene before he becomes the target, the alleged aggressor launches at him numerous times in quick succession, attempting to strike him as he throws punches in his direction.

Mr Southall said it was difficult to know what to do, but was thankful when police arrived and ran in the direction the man had left in.

“It’s difficult to know what to do in those moments,” he said.

A Queensland Police spokesman said it was aware of the incident and investigations are continuing.

A still from the video shows the alleged aggressor hurling abuse at anyone who tries to help and at this point, more people began calling for police intervention. Picture: Ashton Southall

He said he intentionally positioned himself to the side to keep safe while recording the interaction, and later handed the footage over to police.

“I was sitting on one of the large artificial rocks on the footpath, next to a woman, when a man approached and started yelling at her,” Mr Southall said.

“What felt like the right thing to do was to step in, but I’m a small guy, so the next best thing was to record and try to help that way.”

The 22-year-old IT worker said he also witnessed the man approach a group of tourists and yell at them.

“He ran up to a group of tourists and told them to go back to their own country,” Mr Southall said.

A Queensland Police spokesman said it was aware of the incident and investigations were continuing.

Originally published as Man filmed kicking and shoving a woman, leaving bystanders rattled