HORRIFYING BEACH VIDEO SPARKS OUTRAGE — BABY DOLPHIN ALLEGEDLY DRAGGED FROM THE SEA AND BEATEN

A disturbing video from a beach in Ceuta has sparked international outrage after a group of people were filmed surrounding a young dolphin — with witnesses alleging that the animal was dragged from the water and struck with a stick.

The bottlenose dolphin calf was found dead on Trampolín Beach on Wednesday, September 2.

Now, an environmental association has formally complained to Spain’s Guardia Civil, asking authorities to investigate what happened and identify those responsible.

THE VIDEO THAT SPREAD ACROSS SOCIAL MEDIA

Footage circulating online appears to show several men and boys surrounding the young dolphin after it came close to shore.

The animal was reportedly pulled from the water and lifted above the heads of people gathered on the beach.

Some appeared to cheer and touch the struggling calf, while others could be heard protesting what was happening.

According to the environmental group DAUBMA, the dolphin may have been disoriented after reaching the shoreline alive, possibly because of fog in the area that morning.

The group alleges that people then dragged the animal farther onto the beach and struck it on the head with a wooden stick.

DAUBMA says photographs, videos and social-media screenshots have been handed over to the Guardia Civil as part of its complaint.

LOCALS TRIED TO INTERVENE

The disturbing scene reportedly prompted people nearby to intervene.

A worker from the local cleaning company Ecoservicios was reportedly in the area and warned those present to stop handling the animal and contact the appropriate environmental service.

Other witnesses also attempted to get the dolphin back into the water.

But by then, it may already have been too late.

The calf was later found dead.

The exact cause of death has not yet been formally established, and authorities have not publicly identified anyone as responsible.

That distinction is important as the investigation continues.

A FORMAL COMPLAINT HAS NOW BEEN FILED

DAUBMA has asked the Guardia Civil to open proceedings into the incident.

The organisation says the available footage and images could help investigators establish exactly what happened on the beach and determine whether criminal offences were committed.

The case has also triggered an online campaign calling for those responsible to be identified and prosecuted.

Dolphins are protected wildlife in Spain and across the European Union, making the allegations particularly serious.

THE CONTROVERSY COMES AMID A WIDER CRISIS IN CEUTA

The incident comes during an already tense period for Ceuta, the Spanish enclave on the North African coast.

The city experienced a huge influx of migrants earlier this year, with tens of thousands crossing from Morocco before most later returned or were sent back.

Thousands remained in the enclave, with makeshift camps appearing in some areas.

The dolphin incident has now become another flashpoint, with residents demanding answers and animal-welfare advocates calling for those responsible to face consequences.

But authorities still have to establish exactly who was involved and what caused the dolphin’s death.

THE QUESTION NOW IS WHO WAS RESPONSIBLE

The images have already generated outrage around the world.

A helpless young dolphin appears to have been surrounded by people on a beach before being returned to the water.

Shortly afterward, the animal was dead.

But viral footage is not the same as a completed criminal investigation.

Investigators now have to determine what happened in those crucial minutes — who handled the dolphin, whether it was struck, whether those actions caused or contributed to its death, and whether anyone can ultimately be held legally responsible.

For now, the case remains under investigation.

And the tiny dolphin at the center of the controversy has left behind one disturbing question:

What really happened on Trampolín Beach that day?