For being... Santa.

Obviously getting a little jealous of their counterparts in the US getting all the fun with the pepper spray, cops in Bristol got into the Christmas spirit this week at a Santa Uncut demo in Bristol.

At the peaceful protest that was picketing a number of top anti-cuts targets – Marks And Spencer, Topshop and Lloyds TSB – police officers attacked the festively attired activists, running over one of the elves and pepper-spraying several of Santa’s little helpers.

If this wasn’t enough, they arrested Santa as “he couldn’t prove he wasn’t someone else”. Come on guys, if he took the beard off, it would only ruin the magic...