A disturbing incident at Disneyland Paris on June 21 led to the arrest of a 22-year-old British man who allegedly tried to stage a fake wedding with a 9-year-old girl. The event, which was set to take place in front of the iconic Sleeping Beauty castle, was immediately called off when park staff noticed something was wrong.
The situation has raised serious concerns, and authorities are investigating potential fraud and child exploitation.
The Fake Wedding Incident
The planned wedding ceremony was set to occur in the morning, but Disneyland Paris staff quickly grew suspicious when they saw that the bride appeared far too young. According to The Sunday Times, the man, who was pretending to be the groom, later told police that the goal of the staged wedding was to create a video for social media.
Authorities were notified, and upon further investigation, they discovered that the “guests” at the wedding were hired actors who had been bussed in for the event with little information about what was actually going to take place.
Arrests and Investigation
The child involved in the incident was given a medical examination, and fortunately, it was determined that she was unharmed. Four individuals were arrested in connection with the fake wedding, including the 22-year-old British man posing as the groom, the child’s 41-year-old mother from Ukraine, and two Latvian nationals, ages 24 and 55.
Authorities released the child’s mother and the 55-year-old Latvian shortly after the arrest, but the British man and the 24-year-old Latvian remain in custody, with charges related to potential financial fraud.
Public Reaction and Disney’s Response
Witnesses who were present at the park were shocked to realize that the bride was a child. One witness shared with Le Parisien that they were expecting a normal wedding ceremony but were stunned to find out what was really happening.
Another witness praised Disneyland for handling the situation swiftly, stating that the park did a great job of canceling the event once they realized the bride was a child.
Disneyland Paris took immediate action by halting the wedding when they learned the truth, preventing any further harm or confusion. The police and Disneyland have not provided additional comments as of June 22.
This attempted fake wedding has sparked outrage, with many questioning how such an event could have been planned. While the young girl is unharmed, the case is still under investigation for possible financial fraud and child exploitation.
Authorities continue to hold the British man and his accomplice as they seek further details. The event has left a strong impression on those who were there and highlighted the importance of vigilance in public spaces like Disneyland Paris.
