Some have called her a young woman making a courageous – if somewhat violent – lone stand in a defiant bid to save a single chicken from probable slaughter.

Others have pointed out she is a white British person harassing, insulting and eventually swinging punches at bemused Moroccan traders in their own country.

Police who attended, meanwhile, have said the unidentified female was suffering hysteria.

Whatever the interpretation, video of an English tourist diving on and trying to wrench open a chicken cage in a Tangier market has gone viral – and sparked outrage online.

The woman is seen telling locals they are “f****** thick” and suggesting “you can’t f****** read”, before casually tying her hair into a knot and launching herself onto the bird container.

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As traders gather round – partially, it seems, to stop her; partially to enjoy the growing spectacle – she appears to bite the chicken’s owner’s hand.

A second clip recorded moments later captures her throwing punches while telling the crowd: “You don’t treat animals like that.”

She was eventually detained by remarkably restrained onlookers and handed over to the police, who took her to hospital for treatment for “hysteria” rather than arresting her, The Daily Mail reports.

The woman’s actions were slammed online where she was repeatedly labelled as “disrespectful”.

“Go push your cultural beliefs in your own country,” wrote one. “Stay away if you don’t like it.”

Another was more cutting. “Just look at her. She needs more help than the chicken”.

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