Arrest of mall Santa in Winnipeg was a 'misguided and unfortunate' prank
Don't worry, Santa Claus is not on the naughty list. The apparent arrest of a mall Santa in Winnipeg was a 'misguided and unfortunate' prank, prompting an apology from the mall.
Videos and photos widely shared on social media Wednesday show Santa Claus being handcuffed by a pair of security guards in front of his display at Cadillac-Fairview Polo Park.
But, the apparent arrest turned out to be nothing more than a prank.
The whole fiasco prompted an apology from the mall.
"On behalf of our team at C.F. Polo Park, we’d like to personally apologize to our guests, community and families for a misguided and unfortunate moment as it relates to our Santa experience at the property," a spokesperson for the mall told CTV News in an email.
"To be clear, Santa has not been removed from the property and there has been no wrongdoing. Any depiction of an arrest was done in jest by the centre's staff and was an error in judgment."
Winnipeg police also took to Twitter to calm concerns.
"Police did not attend Polo Park, and no Mall Santa was arrested," Police said in a post on Twitter. "Nothing untoward has happened."
CTV News has reached out for comment from the security company.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Spectacular aurora light show to be seen across Canada Friday night
A rare and severe solar storm is expected to bring spectacular displays of the northern lights, also known as aurora borealis, across much of Canada and parts of the United States on Friday night.
Which Canadian cities have the highest and lowest grocery prices?
Where you live plays a big factor in what you pay at the grocery store. And while it's no secret the same item may have a different price depending on the store, city or province, we wanted to see just how big the differences are, and why.
McGill University seeks emergency injunction to dismantle pro-Palestinian encampment
McGill University has filed a request for an injunction to have the pro-Palestinian encampment removed from its campus.
Swarm of 20,000 bees gather around woman’s car west of Toronto
A swarm of roughly 20,000 bees gathered around a woman’s car in the parking lot of Burlington Centre.
U.S. says Israel's use of U.S. arms likely violated international law, but evidence is incomplete
The Biden administration said Friday that Israel's use of U.S.-provided weapons in Gaza likely violated international humanitarian law but wartime conditions prevented U.S. officials from determining that for certain in specific airstrikes.
Barron Trump declines to serve as an RNC delegate
Former U.S. President Donald Trump's youngest son, Barron Trump, has declined to serve as a delegate at this summer’s Republican National Convention, according to a senior Trump campaign adviser and a statement from Melania Trump's office.
Mother assaulted by stranger while breastfeeding baby in her car: Vancouver police
A person was arrested in East Vancouver Thursday after allegedly entering a car while a mother was breastfeeding her four-month-old boy.
'We have laws': Premier Smith says police action justified in Calgary
The actions, including the decision to use non-lethal force, to disperse pro-Palestinian protesters from the University of Calgary campus were justified, Alberta Premier Danielle Smith said Friday.
'State or state-sponsored actor' believed to be behind B.C. government hacks
The head of British Columbia’s civil service has revealed that a “state or state-sponsored actor” is behind multiple cyber-security incidents against provincial government networks.