Peter Pan', 'Snow White' busted at Disneyland

Nation & World News

ANAHEIM, Calif. — Cinderella, Snow White, Tinkerbell and other fictional fixtures of modern-day childhood were handcuffed, frisked and loaded into police vans Thursday at the culmination of a labor protest that brought a touch of reality to the Happiest Place on Earth.

A police officer with the Anaheim Police Department arrests a demonstrator dressed as Peter Pan during a protest against Disney's treatment of hotel workers outside of Disneyland in Anaheim, Calif., on Thursday

The dispute involves about 2,300 maids, bell hops, cooks and dishwashers at three Disney-owned hotels: the Paradise Pier, the Grand Californian and the Disneyland Hotel. The workers' contract expired in February and their union says Disney's latest proposal makes health care unaffordable for hundreds of employees and creates an unfair two-tier wage system. The union also says Disney wants to create a new category of part-time employees who would receive greatly reduced benefits.

A protester dressed as Snow White is hustled off Thursday.

Police officers with the Anaheim Police Department arrest Eric Zuniga, who was dressed as Mickey Mouse, and other protesters.

The protesters were arrested on a misdemeanor count of failure to obey a police officer and two traffic infractions, said Sgt. Rick Martinez of the Anaheim police. They were cited and released, Sgt. Chris Schneider said. Disney spokeswoman Lisa Haines said Disney and the union are in negotiations and nothing has been finalized. She said workers have protested 14 times but sat down to negotiate only 11 times in the past six months.

Aladdin probably would like to take a magic carpet ride now.

Protesters dressed as Tinker Bell and Minnie Mouse wait to be taken away. Bewildered tourists in Disney T-shirts and caps, some pushing strollers, filed past the commotion and gawked at the costumed picketers getting hauled away. The protest shut down a major thoroughfare outside Disneyland and California Adventure for nearly an hour.

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A police officer with the Anaheim Police Department arrests a demonstrator dressed as Peter Pan during a protest against Disney's treatment of hotel workers outside of Disneyland in Anaheim, Calif., on Thursday

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