Hello Kitty, the Big Apple, the Penguin, the Joker and several other heroes, villains and pop culture icons appeared before the New York City Council on Wednesday to testify against a proposed bill that would regulate the ubiquitous and, occasionally, aggressive presence of costumed characters in Times Square.

Except for the Joker and Batman, opponents of the bill wore street clothes. It was a nod to decorum that, they said, underscored their claim that despite their notoriety, they were well-meaning workers just trying to earn a living. They told the Council’s Consumer Affairs Committee that a proposal requiring that they be licensed and fingerprinted would violate their First Amendment rights, make it more difficult to support themselves and their families, and potentially put some of them in danger of being deported.

Hello Kitty, or Alberta Guerra, who said she also sometimes dressed up as Minnie Mouse, described herself as a single mother with three children. Testifying in Spanish, she said that working in Times Square was a joyful experience, a form of expression by artists and entertainers who enjoyed making children smile.

“There’s no reason you need to make us get licenses,” Ms. Guerra said through a translator.

Anyone who has tried to navigate the stretch of Broadway from 42nd to 45th Street is most likely familiar with characters like the ones Ms. Guerra plays. They suggest that tourists take their pictures, then often request — or, sometimes, demand — to be rewarded with tips.