A bear swiped at a diner’s face after gatecrashing a plush restaurant.
A clip of the terrifying incident shows the hungry bear scoffing food from a couple’s table as staff members attempt to scare it away.
As the workers beat sticks and yell at the animal, it appears to becomes anxious and fixes its eyes on the woman sitting calmly at the table.
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The bear then lashes out, swiping at the woman’s face and knocking a plate off the table.
The staff members step in and frighten the animal away from the two diners.
The couple then promptly leaves the table.
The woman appears unhurt as she nervously smiles at onlookers.
One worker then chases the bear off the premises.
The scary encounter was filmed at Hotel Chipinque in the Sierra Madre mountain range in north-eastern Mexico on 2 November.
The video has been widely shared on X where it sparked debate among users, as reported by Need To Know.
One local said: “The staff members came out and screwed things up!”
Arnold wrote: “That ignorant guy wanted to hit the bear with a stick when it has been said many times that you shouldn’t move!”
Humberto remarked: “That lady was lucky her face wasn’t torn off.”
Armando commented: “The bear was in its natural habitat, obviously it was going to react that way when people are attacking it with sticks.”
Erick said: “We already know it was in its habitat, but the woman could have received a far worse blow than what this bear did to her.”
If encountering a bear, the local authorities advise people to stay calm and keep a safe distance.
They should make themselves noticeable without appearing threatening, speaking in a soft tone and avoiding sudden movements.
They should slowly back away without turning their back, always keeping the animal in sight.
Bears usually attack when they feel threatened or surprised.
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