Irish MMA fighter Sinead Kavanagh was reportedly arrested after allegedly assaulting two Spanish police officers on a Ryanair flight travelling from Gran Canaria to Dublin.
The Civil Guard responded to reports of allegedly “violent behavior” from Kavanagh, 39, by the flight crew before taking off at around 7:30 p.m. local time on Monday, Nov. 24th.
The outlets note that Kavanagh allegedly “repeatedly struck” two officers while resisting arrest on the aircraft. She was eventually arrested and detained at the airport’s holding cell.
In footage recorded by another passenger, Kavanagh is seen grappling with two officers as they are trying to hold her in the aisle of the plane.
“Don’t do this! Please!” A woman is heard shouting during the recording of the scuffle.
A Civil Guard spokesperson said hat the police were called to remove two female passengers from the plane.
“The pilot requested police presence because of two passengers who were causing problems on board a plane that was about to take off,” they said. “Officers were going to identify them and take them off the plane because the pilot had decided they weren’t going to fly.”
Kavanagh appeared in court in Telde, Spain, on Tuesday, Nov. 25, where she was released on bail. She remains under investigation for assaulting a police officer and resisting arrest.
One of the officers, whom Kavanagh allegedly attacked, was placed on medical leave, according to the outlet.
It is not known whether the other woman will also be arrested or placed under a travel ban.
Kavanagh has won five MMA championship titles. The 39-year-old from Dublin transitioned into mixed martial arts after competing as an amateur boxer in Ireland and regularly takes part in the featherweight division of Bellator MMA.
Kavanagh is a member of the SBG Ireland team and is friends with fellow MMA fighter and former UFC champion Conor McGregor.
The Unified Association of Civil Guards called the incident “shameful” as they complained of having “no resources” in a post on X thought to be about the scuffle.
“No protective barrier. Aggressor FREE, officers on sick leave … We’re the only defense for citizens and we face professional fighters unarmed and WITHOUT RESOURCES,” they wrote.
