A Spanish woman has been fined 100 euros for carrying a handbag saying All Cats are Beautiful because police thought the initials meant 'All Cops are Ba***rds'.

Riot squad officers policing the Copa del Rey football final between Barcelona and Seville stopped a stunned Belén Lobeto in Madrid as she quietly walked back home.

She believes the police mistook the initials of ACAB as standing for the derogatory term commonly used by right-wing extremists and the far left against the police.

A Spanish woman Belen Lobeto has been fined 100 euros after police thought the initials ACAB on her bag stood for All Cops Are Ba***ds and not All Cats Are Beautiful

Ms Lobeto said: 'I tried to explain that it was just a picture of a kitten but they wouldn't listen so I had to shut up for fear of being arrested.'

The graphic designer said she was approached by two officers outside the Vicente Calderón stadium who said they were giving her a fine because of the front of the bag.

This is despite the real phrase it stands for being clearly embroidered under the picture.

Ms Lobeto told the Spanish press that the violation order was issued under Spain's controversial gagging law and could lead to a fine of between 100 and 600 euros.

But she says she does not intend to pay and will instead opt to appear before a judge so he can decide whether to proceed or drop the case.

She wrote on her Facebook page: 'I told the police there are many more important things to take care of.'

Ms Lobeto was handed the fine after she was stopped by riot police as she left the Copa del Rey football final in Madrid

While people following her on social media wrote: 'You cannot be serious.'

Another said: 'What a joke!'

Police sources said that although the bag did show the face of a cat, 'everyone knows what the initials ACAB really stand for.'

However, it is not the first time football supporters have been fined due to their clothing.

In 2011, three Ajaz fans were fined for wearing shirts with the numbers 1312 on them.