Nothing in life is ???? ?????free, and that's especially true in Times Square.
A man offering tourists to New York City's bustling center "free hugs" was apparently less than grateful when a Canadian tourist refused to tip him after taking one of those hugs along with a photo.
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Jermaine Himmelstein is accused of punching the woman in the face after he demanded cash, and she refused to pay.
Police arrested Himmelstein on robbery and fraudulent accosting charges shortly after the Thursday afternoon incident.
The victim, who was visiting from Ottawa, was left with a black eye, cuts and bruises.
As Himmelstein was led out of a police station later Thursday, he told reporters that he "was aggressively asking for tips."
And this isn't the first time he has been "aggressive" about his money making strategy.
"He is no stranger to this," NYPD Chief of Department James O'Neill said.
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The New York Daily News reported Himmelstein has been arrested 16 times since 2012.
It is typically the costumed characters of Times Square who get a bad rap: Two years ago a violent Spider-Man hit a police officer, leading to calls for a crackdown. Since that incident, city officials and the people working in the square have gone back and forth on suggested regulations. There will be new rules in effect for the summer, although bad behavior of some — though certainly not all — of the characters continues. In March, another Spider-Man (what is it with Spider-Man?) held a 13-year-old boy hostage to extort a $10 tip from the boy's father.
Tourists who have their kids pose with Elmo probably think they'll getting a Disney-like family-friendly experience in the Big Apple, but New York has a way of showing its teeth when you're least expecting it.
Additional reporting by the Associated Press
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