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
BREAKING | U.S. considering plan to down Chinese balloon over Atlantic
The Biden administration is considering a plan to shoot down a large Chinese balloon suspected of conducting surveillance on U.S. military, by bringing it down once it is above the Atlantic Ocean where the remnants could potentially be recovered, according to four U.S. officials.

Marit Stiles officially confirmed as Ontario NDP leader by majority vote
Marit Stiles has been confirmed as the new leader of the Ontario NDP after a majority of party members voted in favour of the lone candidate.
W5 Investigates | Daniel Jolivet insists he's not a murderer and says he has proof
Convicted murderer Daniel Jolivet, in prison for the past 30 years, has maintained his innocence since the day he was arrested. W5 reviews the evidence he painstakingly assembled while behind bars. W5's documentary 'Buried Evidence' airs Saturday at 7 p.m. on CTV.
It's a bird, it's a plane, it's a spy balloon from China? Here's what we know about the balloon so far
The massive white orb drifting across U.S. airspace has triggered a diplomatic maelstrom and is blowing up on social media. A look at what's known about the balloon crossing the U.S. and what isn't.
Dozens of soldiers freed in Russia-Ukraine prisoner swap
Dozens of Russian and Ukrainian prisoners of war have returned home following a prisoner swap, officials on both sides said Saturday.
Poor oral health could affect the brain later in life: early study
An early study has shown keeping your gums and teeth healthy may have added benefits for your brain health.
Oldest preserved vertebrate brain found in 319-million-year-old fish fossil
The oldest preserved vertebrate brain has been found in a 319-million-year-old fossilized fish skull that was removed from an English coal mine over a century ago.
In Tyre Nichols' neighbourhood, Black residents fear police
In a terrible way, the death of Tyre Nichols brings vindication to members of the Black community in Memphis who live in terror of police.
One in four Canadian cancer patients still experiencing cancelled appointments: survey
In the field of cancer treatment, nothing is more important than diagnosing and treating the problem as quickly as possible — but according to new survey data, about one in four Canadian cancer patients report that they are still experiencing cancelled or postponed appointments.