Winnie the Pooh, the beloved and endearing creation of A A Milne, has brought joy to generations. However, a recent incident involving the cartoon character at Shanghai Disneyland has led to widespread outrage on social media.
Last month, a tourist assaulted an actor dressed as Winnie the Pooh during a parade in Disneyland, leaving bystanders stunned. The altercation was captured on video, and it quickly went viral. In the footage, a middle-aged man is seen rushing to the Disney character and slapping the performer, who then collapses to the ground. Bystanders told the South China Morning Post (SCMP) that they heard a “loud thud” as the actor fell, clutching their head and struggling to regain their footing.
Disneyland staff swiftly intervened, stopping the man and assisting the performer.
Watch the video here:
The internet was furious about how the actor was treated.
A user commented, “It's one thing if it's a child grinning and hitting someone in a costume, but it's adults, or rather old men... They have a low level of civility.”
Another said, “This is damn dangerous. The headgear alone weighs 8kg, and it's hard enough just to support it with your neck, but if you add an external shock to it, in the worst case scenario, you could suffer cervical spine damage.”
“The person who hit the head probably doesn't have a brain,” a comment read.
“Are you okay?” someone asked.
The theme park released a statement confirming the performer was physically unharmed, reported SCMP. They also mentioned that the tourist was “dealt with”, although specific details of any penalties were not disclosed.
