A German fitness influencer, Xenia Denise, was targeted with water and insults by a carriage drivr in Palma, Majorca. The clash occurred after Denise urged the driver to provide water to a horse she believed was malnourished.
A 'Nazi' insult and a water hose in Palma
The confrontation began when 31-year-old Xenia Denise approached a horse-drawn carriage driver in Palma , Majorca, to express concern over the condition of his animal. According to the report, Denise described the horse as emaciated and repeatedly asked the driver to give the animal a drink. The driver responded with hostility, telling the influencer to go to McDonald's and eat burgers.
The situation escalated quickly, with footage showing the driver getting into Denise's face and throwing water at her while calling her a "Nazi." Beyond the filmed segment, Denise claims the man made disparaging remarks about her physical figure, pointing from top to bottom before the verbal abuse intensified.. The video has since garnered millions of views, sparking a wave of online support for the influencer's attempt to protect the animal.
40C heat and the 2022 collapse of a Palma carriage horse
This incident is not an isolated event but part of a recurring pattern of animal distress in European tourist hotspots. in these regions, horses and donkeys are frequently forced to work in stifling summer conditions where temperatures can reach 40C. As the report says , many of these animals appear malnourished and are pushed to the point of total exhaustion to serve tourists.
The volatility of this industry in Majorca was highlighted in 2022, when footage captured a horse collapsing while pulling a carriage full of tourists through the streets of Palma. During that event, bystanders had to intervene, urging the driver to provide water and demanding that the tourists exit the vehicle. While the horse eventually stood back up, the incident underscored the precarious nature of animal labor in high-heat environments.
Joke Van der Post and the Cairo donkey confrontation
The aggression witnessed in Majorca echoes similar clashes in other global tourist hubs, such as Egypt. Last year, Joke Van der Post, a 47-year-old Dutch veterinarian and manager of the Good Karma Sanctuary near the Giza pyramids, took physical action against a 19-year-old man she saw whipping a donkey. Footage of the encounter showed Van der Post pinning the handler against a wall and striking him before chasing him away with a whip.
While Van der Post's actions were praised by some animal rights activists, they led to legal repercussions. The handler filed a police complaint alleging assault and psychological harm, which resulted in the veterinarian's brief arrest. This parallel suggests a growing trend of "vigilante" animal welfare interventions where the frustration over systemic abuse leads to violent physical confrontations between tourists and local workers.
The identity of the Palma driver and the status of the petition
Despite the viral nature of the video, several critical details remain unverified. It is currently unknown if the Palma carriage driver has faced any legal consequences or if the specific horse involved in the clash with Xenia Denise was seized by animal welfare authorities for a health check. The report does not mention whether local Majorcan authorities have issued a statement regarding the driver's conduct.
In response to the event, Xenia Denise has launched a petition calling for the total abolition of horse-drawn carriages in Palma. Whether this petition will gain enough traction to influence local legislation remains to be seen, as the practice continues despite ongoing protests from animal activists across Europe.
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