A viral video showing a Dutch woman confronting a man for allegedly beating a donkey near the Giza Pyramids has sparked widespread public reaction and launched an official investigation.
The footage, captured in the Nazlet El-Semman area near the Sphinx archaeological site, shows the woman physically intervening after witnessing the man whip the donkey repeatedly.
Social media users quickly circulated the video, calling for accountability and urging authorities to take action against animal cruelty in one of Egypt’s most visited tourist zones.
The incident led to a police complaint filed by the man in the video, identified as Bilal Mahmoud, who accused the woman of assault and claimed that the video’s circulation caused him psychological and moral harm. Legal proceedings have since been initiated.
On Friday, Egypt’s Ministry of Interior confirmed in a statement that the man seen in the video had been identified and arrested.
According to the ministry, the man admitted to assaulting the donkey, claiming it had become agitated and that he struck it in an attempt to calm it down. The ministry added that he was surprised when the woman attempted to assault him in response, prompting him to walk away.
Authorities are now investigating both parties. According to local sources, the woman, identified as Jock Vanderbost, has been living in Egypt for several years.
She is married to an Egyptian and runs a free equine treatment center in the area. Her clinic, staffed by three full-time veterinarians, offers care to horses, donkeys, and mules, providing treatments for wounds, skin conditions, and deworming. The center has become a known destination for animal care in the community.
Vanderbost has spoken publicly in the past about her work and her first encounters with animal cruelty in Egypt. She described seeing horses with untreated injuries and a lack of access to proper veterinary care, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Over the years, she says her relationship with local horse owners has shifted, with more coming to respect her efforts.
As the investigation continues, the video has reignited calls for stronger protections for working animals in Egypt and highlighted the broader issue of animal welfare in tourism hotspots.
