CAPE CORAL, Fla. (WFLA/WBBH) – There’s a real-life Grinch lurking in Florida.

A man stood in the middle of the Cape Coral Festival of Lights on Saturday and screamed that Santa Claus isn’t real.

Cell phone video shows the man holding a large sign and telling kids that parents are lying to them.

The man stood there for hours tormenting children and making them cry.

At the end of the day, most people said they won’t let the Grinch steal their Christmas spirit.

“I feel sorry for that individual. He must have a very sad life,” said resident Cindy Menkes.

“I think it’s a shame our children are faced with so many difficult things in this world that the magic of this time of year it’s taken away from them.”

Cape Coral police officers were at the event, but said they couldn’t do anything because the man was exercising his freedom of speech.

NBC affiliate WBBH tried to talk to the man, but he declined to comment.