A VIDEO showing a woman apparently kicking two swans in a London canal went viral over the weekend, particularly after a man who confronted her about it was pushed into the water.
In the footage, the woman can be seen trying to kick what appears to be two mating swans in a canal in Limehouse, east London.
A passerby then rushes over to interject, but is quickly surrounded by a group of youngsters before one of them shoves him into the canal.
The group can be heard jeering the man as he tries to get out of the water.
Witnesses were quick to condemn the teens for soaking the man - but claim the girl was actually trying to help one of the swans - because she thought they were fighting.
They say several others had actually tried to intervene because they didn't realise what the birds were actually doing - mating.
One told Mail Online: "I watched the entire episode and the swans were not mating, they were fighting to the death. One was father of nine cygnets nearby and one was from a pair who were being territorial.
"They had been sparring for some time before crowds gathered and had sparred several times in previous days without a fight actually breaking out. The girl was trying to separate the swans to avoid one of them being killed.
"The one to pursue is the idiot boy in the blue shirt who pushed the man in the canal."
The Metropolitan Police are investigating and enquiries are continuing.
Superintendent Andy Cox of the Metropolitan Police said previously: "Awful viewing. Animal cruelty is an indicator of many other vile behaviours and a tendency towards other forms of violence.
"The assault [and] anti social behaviour needs our action. Help us by letting us know who these offenders are via 101 or confidentially via crimestoppers."
