Image The police arrested 12 members of a new labor union, the Brotherhood of Father Christmas and Santa Claus. Credit... International Herald Tribune

LONDON, Dec. 17 (UPI) — Twelve Santa Clauses were arrested for illegal picketing today.

The Santas are members of a new labor union, the Brotherhood of Father Christmas and Santa Claus.

Police charged them with obstructing the sidewalk. The Santas, bearing such placards as “Santa Claus Is A Dirty White Collar Worker,” had been marching up and down in front of Selfridge’s, an Oxford Street department store.

Before the arrest, a union spokesman said the picketing was directed against non-union Santas and any store that would charge admission for a child to see Santa.

“The union has been set up to see that there is no further exploitation of this magical children’s fantasy,” the spokesman said.