Hello Kitty and Minnie Mouse arrested after fight over tip money

 Hello Kitty and Minnie Mouse characters   Photo: Courtesy

The costumed characters had a punch-up at the famous spot and now allegedly face assault and harassment charges

Hello Kitty and Minnie Mouse have been arrested – following a punch-up in New York's Times Square.

Jiovanna Melendez and Sandra Mocha were dressed as the cartoon characters when a fight broke out over tip money.

Melendez – aka Hello Kitty – suffered a cut lip following the bust-up, while Mocha, dressed as Minnie Mouse, had a facial abrasion, reports Sky News.

The pair were dressed up in their costumes to pose for tourists and had happily been pictured with a passer-by in the middle of the Crossroads of the World moments before the fracas.

Melendez, 40, and Mocha, 34, now reportedly face assault and harassment charges.

Tim Tompkins, president of the Times Square Alliance, said: "This is another reason why we need regulations to address the growing problems in Times Square."

The costumed characters formed an alliance last year following a spate of arrests over violent altercations.

Some of the cartoon characters have even been accused of groping women and assaulting tourists, with the new association formed in a bid to protect their reputation.

In one of the most famous cases, a man dressed as Spider-Man punched a police officer.

City chiefs have since proposed the characters are fingerprinted and licensed to help better regulate the anti-social behaviour.

Most of the workers in Manhattan aren't sanctioned by the city.

Edwin Garcia, a worker who dresses as Elmo to support his wife and young daughter, said: "Most of us are just trying to make a living."