A holidaymaker accused of grabbing a pasty-stealing seagull out of the air and punching it to death is an activist who has repeatedly criticised animal cruelty.

Outraged locals confronted the man after watching him repeatedly batter the bird in front of shocked children in the Cornish seaside town of St Ives this week.

He has been named locally as Jonathan 'Jonny' Roberts from Bradford, Yorkshire, while police have confirmed they are investigating the attack on Wednesday.

Mr Roberts has since deleted a post on his X account of him on holiday in Cornwall this week wearing exactly the same grey cap and cream hoodie as the man pictured in St Ives and stating he was 'just appreciating time away with my family'.

But his account 'JonnyUtd' has previously posted that he wants to 'kill' people who abuse innocent animals.

He has also been accused of posting 'support for terrorist groups and antisemitism' by Jewish investigative group known as 'Gnasher Jew'.

The group also found posts supporting the terrorist organisation Hezbollah and referring to Zionist Jews as 'parasites [that] need to be isolated in all walks of life in our society' and calling for them to be harmed.

The account also repeatedly accuses Israel of animal cruelty.

In one post he writes: 'Not even animals are safe around the IOF (Israel Occupying Force). If you ain't a satanic Zionist you are fair game in their sick mind!'.

In another post appearing to show video of a Palestinian feeding cats in Gaza alongside footage of an Israeli kicking one he adds: 'They don't even treat animals with kindness, we must stop calling Zionists animals, it's disrespectful to animals, I'm being serious. They are poisonous bacteria.'

In another message replying to a now deleted post he says: 'Wants to kill those who kill innocent animals. Hero.'

Herring gulls are a protected species under the Wildlife and Countryside Act, offenders can face unlimited fines and up to six months in prison.

Following the attack, furious locals posted pictures of the man they allege was responsible online, prompting Devon and Cornwall police to urge witnesses to come forward.

Rosie Reynolds was working at a boat tour stall at 4pm on Wednesday when the man attacked the bird right in front of her.

She said: 'He was walking with his wife and child and the gull just swooped down and stole his pasty.

'He just grabbed it and had its head in his hand and punched it hard in the chest. It was sort of held in his arm so it couldn't escape.

'After three or four punches the bird went limp then he threw it to the ground where it just lay there, it was still alive but its chest cavity was caved in and I think it just went off to die.

'I went over and berated him as did some other people, I said, "You can't do that, it's illegal", and his wife said the same, I think she was shocked, I asked if he'd do the same to a child who stole an ice cream but he just called me a cow and told me to f*** off.

'I'm just so shocked, tourists sometimes kick out at the seagulls but this is the worst I've ever seen.'

Another witness said: 'The guy got aggressive straight away. He grabbed the bird and started throwing punches without saying a word.'

A takeaway owner who didn't want to be named served the man just before he attacked the gull said it actually snatched a fish burger.

He said: 'I just remember the guy was really rude, his wife seemed lovely but he was just demanding and said he needed to drive back to Yorkshire as soon as he could.

'He ordered a fish teacake which I think is a northern thing, he just wanted it in a roll.

'I think people here are really shocked by what he did, you don't do that to a seagull.'

One eyewitness Pauly Ford posted on Facebook: 'Just witnessed a "man" grab a seagull that had knocked the pastie out of his hand and punched the bird twice really, really hard. This was at the harbour. 

'The bird wasn't able to fly away and a lady at the sea island boat trips picked it up to look after, sadly the bird had a big hole in its chest so will likely not survive. 

'Not sure what to do about this, we have a picture of the guy and after killing a seagull because he's an idiot is there anything we can do. 

'Surely the police will want to know.'

A now deleted picture posted on social media by Mr Roberts appears to show him in nearby Penzance wearing exactly the same outfit this week with the comment 'just appreciating time away with my family'.

In one post, including several pictures of Mr Roberts walking in the popular seaside town, a witness claimed: 'This man grabbed a seagull out the air and punched it to death then booted it.

'Happened in a busy street by the harbour in front of about 30 people including children. My 2 year old is scarred. Absolutely disgusting to see.'

Herring gulls are a protected species under the Wildlife and Countryside Act, offenders can face unlimited fines and up to six months in prison.

Now police are appealing for information about the alleged attack

A Devon and Cornwall Police spokesman said: 'We are appealing for witnesses and footage following a report of a seagull being attacked in St Ives.

'Devon & Cornwall Police received a third hand report about the incident which is said to have taken place on the seafront on the afternoon of Wednesday 10 June.

'Social media posts stated that a man punched and beat a seagull.

'Despite posts being widely shared online, the matter was not reported to us by anyone present at the scene.'

Mr Roberts did not respond to a request for comment.