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Cops Bust Costumed Characters In Rock Center: 'The Minions Were Hauling Ass'
By
Jake Offenhartz
Published Dec 13, 2019
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By
Jake Offenhartz
Published Dec 13, 2019
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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."
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rock center
Costumed Characters
rockefellercenter
Jake Offenhartz
Jake Offenhartz is a former Gothamist reporter.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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