However, little children of pre-school age hitting one another is within the realm of 'normal' (or at least accomodatable) behaviour.  On the other hand, an adult man shaking tables and grabbing a stranger's young child by the arm and trying to pull it away from its mother is definitely anti-social behaviour. Sure the mother covered herself in ignominy and dishonour by swearing like a trooper and screaming like a banshee, but the man crossed a line that, in my opinion, puts him in a different category.