I witnessed a well dressed middle aged couple scream in the face of a girl (about7) in their charge over a scooter (probably preceded by truculent behaviour not witnessed). I don't think they were parents as seemed a bit older.
The girl walking in tears and furious and probably on the edge at this point.
The woman then battled the girl for the scooter, stamped on the foot bar, removed it, pulled the girls arm up and smacked her "soundly" then shouted that was it, they were going home. So far so awful. My 13 yo dd looked at me and said do not get involved in a panicked voice. (We were in the car across the road)
Next as the girl was hitting out against both adults the man gripped the back of her neck and dragged her in to the side of the pavement, twisted her arm and the 2 adults were ranting about bad behaviour and having to go home. My dd said the man then hit the girl but I never saw that. I was scared to get involved as though people were staring and someone must have reacted as I saw the man bite something over his shoulder at the person, we were typically British and froze. I drove past and saw the situation continue in the same vein as they marched to the car. We agreed I should. All 101.
If people can do that in broad daylight I dread to think what could happen at home. (I am haunted by the number of people who questioned the boys who stop James Bulger but am worried I may have overstepped the mark) I am no paragon of virtue and have suffered plenty of tantrums over the years and handled some better than others,but both of us feel shocked at what we saw 😔