Do you think spanking (bare handed) your child is appropriate discipline for this incident?

Why ask? You've decided how you're going to handle your child.

I would ask myself: what can if anything can my 4 year old learn from being spanked in a public place. Did I do it out of anger? Is there something else I could have done that would have been better? What exactly about my actions made others so uncomfortable they would call the police and would I wish to repeat that in the future? I do not believe you will find many people backing your actions here. If you feel like you have to ask maybe consider that you may have felt you're not entirely right. 🤷🏻‍♀️ Editing to add that unless this is motivated by racism of some sort I would reflect on what I was doing that prompted someone to start recording me giving them the ability to catch the act on camera (as you made it seem it was extremely quick).

This doesn’t teach kids anything other than to fear you. Idk about you but that’s the last thing I want my kids to think of me. I get extremely uncomfortable seeing parents spank kids in public, not only are you embarrassing yourself but your child. At that point you should’ve just packed up and left or gone inside.

Can I ask why you would think hitting your child is more appropriate than just packing up and leaving?

When my son proves he’s struggling to listen we just pack up and go.

You should have left before striking your child in front of others was needed. I don't think your child learns out of public shaming and the police being called. You can hope she learns what you wanted her to learn but the environment was not set up for learning. Normal people don't feel the need to keep an eye on rationally behaving parents or think we need to record these folks (unless they are weirdos or you were drawing unnecessary attention to your family). I'd be more worried about ending up on the Internet forever than if people think I acted appropriately.

I don’t think it’s abuse. But maybe one would’ve sufficed or maybe there was another option. Hard to say without knowing every detail. Especially if the child doesn’t respond to other discipline, I struggle with that part with mine. I definitely don’t think by description unless it was more forceful/aggressive than described that it would warrant calling police.

Im ngl i didnt even read the context, immediate no because spanking isnt effective or good parenting

The man is right. You should have not done it there. You invited everyone else into your business when you did and got the cops called on you. I think you made a very poor decision because you didn't want to leave and leaving would have been much simpler and I hope you choose to leave in the future. Does it suck to leave? Yes but that's parenting. Sometimes you gotta pack up or your shit and go.

I don’t think spanking is right or effective. I would also imagine doing it publicly would cause a lot of embarrassment for them.

I know you said you grew up being spanked and so did I. There was also once a time where men spanked their wives for not acting right. There are interviews about it. People don't think spanking is good parenting in 2026 and I imagine that they figured if you'd hit your kids in front of people you do not know that you probably do worse behind closed doors. Many people think it's akin to if your husband were to hit you for not listening or annoying him. I'd imagine they would have called the law on that too.

I feel like hitting her will enforce the behavior you don’t want.
She was poking you because she wasn’t getting what she wanted. (Playing on the beach)
You hit her because you weren’t getting what you wanted (her obeying you)
You basically did the same thing she did but you did it with more force and to a child.

I hope your 4 year old isn't being further punished for this. Now that I've read you had other kids there and everyone got to have a crappy end to their day. It would have sucked less to just leave than to witness all that.