It’s a yearly tradition: Wake up stuffed the morning after Thanksgiving, switch on your computer, and feel a smug sense of superiority by watching videos of fights breaking out among shoppers eager to snap up the best Black Friday bargains. The yearly scene usually goes well with a side order of haughty criticism about U.S. shopping culture. But Americans are hardly the only ones willing to get aggressive in search of a bargain. Black Friday has been a growing phenomenon in the United Kingdom over the past few years, but the frenzy appears to have reached new heights this year. Fights broke out across U.K. stores, and police had to be called in to break up shoppers willing to go to extreme lengths to grab everything from a discounted big-screen television to underwear. “Black Friday was more like Black Eye Friday,” summarizes the Financial Times.
Things got so bad at Tesco stores in Greater Manchester—police were called to seven stores and three people were arrested—that the police posted a scolding video. “People need to take a long hard look at themselves and ask, what on earth was I doing?” says deputy chief constable Ian Hopkins.
But don’t let him ruin your fun. A selection of the best/worst videos below:
And just so you don’t think we’re picking on our friends across the pond, here are some highlights stateside:
