Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
Arts & Entertainment
Cops Bust Costumed Characters In Rock Center: 'The Minions Were Hauling Ass'
By
Jake Offenhartz
Published Dec 13, 2019
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
By
Jake Offenhartz
Published Dec 13, 2019
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Three men dressed as the Grinch, Spiderman, and Captain Marvel were busted in Rockefeller Center on Thursday, sending other costumed characters dashing through the streets of Midtown amid fears of a possible cartoon crackdown.
Lower East Side resident Kat Sullivan tells Gothamist she witnessed "a group of Minions hauling ass" through the newly pedestrianized zone at around 1:30 p.m. on Thursday. "I asked for a picture and they were like, 'Sorry lady, got to go,'" said Sullivan, a 40-year-old nurse. "That struck me as weird."
The cause of the scattering Minions became clear moments later, as Sullivan stumbled on a trio of spandex-clad characters in handcuffs.
An NYPD spokesperson confirmed that three men—identified only as the Grinch, Captain America, and Spiderman—were issued summonses for disorderly conduct. They're accused of blocking pedestrian traffic at 49th Street and 6th Avenue, according to the spokesperson.
Sullivan told Gothamist that the handcuffs seemed like a bit much. "There's a need for rules, but they should be applied with compassion without harassment or targeting," she said.
Back in 2016, the city relegated Times Square's ubiquitous costumers, ticket sellers, and desnudas to 8-by-50 foot "activity zones." The restriction infuriated the characters, who say they need more space to ply their tourist-focused trade.
"I feel like a fucking caged animal," one Elmo told us at the time. "Fuck the law. Fuck the system."
Tagged
Times Square
rock center
Costumed Characters
rockefellercenter
Jake Offenhartz
Jake Offenhartz is a former Gothamist reporter.
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE arts-entertainment
Will Barnes and Noble in the East Village spell doom for smaller shops? It's complicated.
Independent booksellers are grappling with whether the big-box chain is a threat or an ally in the fight against Amazon.
By
Sonia Rao
Published Oct 16, 2026
Can eligible NYC singles find love with 30 minutes and some really spicy food?
We went to the Spiciest Supper Club singles night to take the temperature of New York City's dating scene.
By
Elizabeth Shwe
and
James Ramsay
Arts & Entertainment
Can eligible NYC singles find love with 30 minutes and some really spicy food?
We went to the Spiciest Supper Club singles night to take the temperature of New York City's dating scene.
By
Elizabeth Shwe
and
James Ramsay
How the NYC Marathon has changed in the last 50 years
By
Hannah Frishberg
A visit to Art of Play, the Brooklyn store in an animatronic bird beef with Kelly Clarkson
By
Sonia Rao
The hottest way to show you're an authentic New Yorker is… riding a Citi Bike?
By
Lindsay Lee Wallace
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .