The mascot was applauded by social media observers, many of whom took issue with the behaviour of the children, who have been dubbed xionghaizi or “bear kids” in English, by people online. The slang term means little devil brat.
In a similar incident last year, a boy in China’s eastern Jiangsu province kicked a Mixue Bingcheng milk tea shop mascot and was stopped by a passerby.
An adult woman with the boy did not make any attempt to stop him.
In 2021, a boy attacked a Winnie the Pooh mascot at Shanghai Disneyland, landing a series of punches on the employee’s stomach.
The boy’s father later caused further public anger by telling park staff not to embarrass his son “if the mascot’s costume was not damaged”.
The boys beat a hasty retreat after the mascot fought back by kicking at them gently to drive them away. Photo: Weibo
In 2017, local news outlet The Paper reported that a chipmunk mascot at Shanghai Disneyland was forcefully slapped on the head by a young woman. The person wearing the costume suffered a concussion.
Public calls for people to stop harassing and hitting mascots have been growing in China, with many pointing out that the plastic internal structure of many costumes could cause serious injury to the people wearing them.
These calls have also included demands that parents rein in their children in public.
“The greatest gift parents can give their children is education,” said one Weibo commenter.
“All these bear kids have bear parents behind them,” said another.