Video: Dutch woman attacks man for beating donkey near pyramids

Dubai: A Dutch woman living in Egypt has become the talk of the town after a viral video captured her confronting a man who was allegedly beating a donkey near the Giza Pyramids.

The confrontation, which took place in the Nazlet El Semman area, sparked widespread outrage online and prompted an official investigation by Egyptian authorities.

The footage shows the woman stepping in to stop the beating, physically intervening and exchanging heated words with the man, identified as Bilal Mahmoud.

The video spread rapidly across social media, attracting attention to the longstanding issue of animal mistreatment in Egypt’s tourism zones.

Mahmoud later filed a police complaint accusing the woman of assault and claiming that the video had caused him psychological harm.

In response, Egypt’s Ministry of Interior confirmed that Mahmoud had been arrested after admitting to striking the donkey. He told authorities the animal had become agitated and that he was trying to regain control.

The woman has been identified as Jock Vanderbost, a Dutch national married to an Egyptian and a long-time resident of the area. She runs a free veterinary clinic near the pyramids with a team of three veterinarians, offering medical treatment to horses and donkeys used in the tourism sector.

Vanderbost has previously raised awareness about the suffering of working animals, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, when the collapse in tourism left many owners unable to afford care. Her clinic has since become a lifeline for local animals, providing wound care, hydration, and disease treatment for free.

“This isn’t about conflict,” Vanderbost said in an earlier interview. “It’s about compassion and giving these animals a chance to live without pain.”