Black Friday videos show fights, chaos at Walmarts across US

Videos posted online show the level of frenzy to which things escalated at some Walmart stores across the country as shoppers tried to get the best deals on Thanksgiving and Black Friday.

Although acts of violence were not limited to Walmart stores, the amount of shoppers known to crowd Walmart at the start of the shopping season made it an easy target on social media.

The hashtag #WalmartFights became one of the most popular terms nationwide on Twitter within hours of the store’s Thanksgiving evening opening. People encouraged one another to post photos and video of people getting violent at Walmart.

People took the opportunity to post photos of stretchers and ambulances. Videos showed shoppers crowding and pushing one another, often resulting in one or more people being brought to the ground by police.

One video posted to YouTube shows a fight breaking out over a pallet of electronics. The poster said he was thrown out of the store for taking the video.

The hashtag reflected both what seems to be an increase in Black Friday violence this year and the discrepancy between Americans’ seeming awareness that Black Friday brings out the worst in them and their willingness to continue to take part in Black Friday events.

Many of the tweets tagged #WalmartFights implored shoppers to calm down, calling the frenzy “shameful” and “embarrassing.”

Even some foreigners jumped on board with the hashtag to express their disgust with what was playing out in stores.

“I love Thanksgiving tradition of America,” tweeted Mohammad Moonis, who identifies himself as an Indian studying in South Korea. “But after watching #WalmartFights the festival has lost its meaning. So sad.”

Contact Stephanie Grimes at sgrimes@reviewjournal.com. Find her on Twitter: @steph_grimes