Black Friday Fights

By Rachael Wabel

Black eyes, a bloody nose and even a little bit of pepper spray—all part of the Black Friday shopping experience.

Past years have brought arguments over Nintendo Wii gaming systems and even Care Bear stuffed animals. Some Black Friday shoppers will do almost anything to get the items topping their family’s Christmas lists. Sometimes the desire to make Christmas perfect leads people to become violent.

“I remember the year Care Bears were the big thing,” MaryAnne Wilson said. “A fight broke out over one and this lady punched another woman in the nose so she could take the bear from her hands.”

In anticipation of large crowds and possible problems, a Walmart in Las Vegas, Nev. stationed store employees around in-demand items including Wii Video games and discounted waffle irons. The police were also brought in to handle any major problems and manage crowd control.

As soon as the sale began at 10 p.m. eager shoppers rushed to grab wanted items, leaving some injured in the process. Shouts from anxious shoppers diving for $3 waffle irons could be heard across the store.

“I’m glad I’m not over there,” Linda Barker said as the shouts echoed to where she stood, picking out pajama pants.

Wii video games, marked down to $10 and $20, were also a fight-worthy item. Before the sell started, the crowd around the box holding the games resembled a mosh pit.  Shoppers were pushed as people tried to grab games. Police officers watched the scene, ready to intervene if things got too rough. After the tussle the cardboard box holding the games was completely flattened.

One woman in a Porter Ranch, Calif. Walmart, took extreme measures to get what she wanted. In a Youtube video that quickly circulated around the internet, a mob around a box full of video games is shown. Several of the people push backward, complaining of being hit by pepper spray a woman was using to make sure no one came to close and took the games she had grabbed. The video can be viewed here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T-K7xDHAfdA&feature=related

Not all Black Friday squabbles were over in-demand items. At a Logan Walmart, an employee was called to the vacuum cleaner display to break up a fight between two elderly women over a vacuum.

While fist-fights and confrontations kept some shoppers away, others were unfazed by the altercations.

“It’s just part of it,” Susan Shephard said. “You just have to remember that a toy is not worth blood. More will be put out later.”

The pepper spray video can be viewed here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T-K7xDHAfdA&feature=related

(K. Mason)