Foreigners Dressed as Spartans Freak Out the Beijing Police and Get Arrested
Around 100 foreigners, dressed as Spartan warriors with leather shorts and flowing capes, prompted a swift reaction from Beijing police on Wednesday, the state mouthpiece People's Daily reports. The men were apparently hired actors taking part in a publicity stunt for a Beijing-based restaurant called Salad Sweetie. They were meant to be delivering salad lunches to office workers, but the stunt went wrong. As they marched through the streets of Beijing, crowds gathered around them to comment and take pictures. Photos also showed the men standing in front of office buildings in pyramid formation. Police asked them to disperse. A handful of the men were then arrested for "disturbing public order," after they ignored several warnings, the People's Daily says. Tweeted images showed police officers handcuffing and sitting on top of some of the "Spartans.", , Salad Sweetie has since apologized for the stunt, according to the New York Times, saying that the models were supposed to convey an image of health in celebration of the company's one-year anniversary. It is still unclear how many salads were sold or delivered that day. Download TIME's mobile app for iOS to have your world explained wherever you go