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| 'Black Friday': Police called to supermarket crowds | 'Black Friday': Police called to supermarket crowds |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Police have been called to supermarkets across the UK amid crowd surges as people hunt for "Black Friday" offers. | Police have been called to supermarkets across the UK amid crowd surges as people hunt for "Black Friday" offers. |
| Greater Manchester Police appealed for calm after attending seven Tesco shops, at which three men were arrested and a woman was hit by a falling television. | Greater Manchester Police appealed for calm after attending seven Tesco shops, at which three men were arrested and a woman was hit by a falling television. |
| The force said the issues were "totally predictable" and it was "disappointed" by shop security. Tesco said only a "small number" of stores were affected. | The force said the issues were "totally predictable" and it was "disappointed" by shop security. Tesco said only a "small number" of stores were affected. |
| Police were called in places including Dundee, Glasgow, Cardiff and London. | Police were called in places including Dundee, Glasgow, Cardiff and London. |
| Originating in the US, Black Friday is becoming a major UK shopping day. | Originating in the US, Black Friday is becoming a major UK shopping day. |
| Visa has predicted that UK shoppers will spend £518m online on cards on Friday - which would make it the country's biggest internet shopping day in history. | Visa has predicted that UK shoppers will spend £518m online on cards on Friday - which would make it the country's biggest internet shopping day in history. |
| Police in Manchester tweeted: "At least two people arrested at #BlackFriday sales events already this morning. Keep calm people!" | Police in Manchester tweeted: "At least two people arrested at #BlackFriday sales events already this morning. Keep calm people!" |
| The force said there had been "disturbances" at the seven Tesco stores. | The force said there had been "disturbances" at the seven Tesco stores. |
| Incidents at those stores and other locations included: | Incidents at those stores and other locations included: |
| In London, police were called by both Tesco staff and queuing shoppers as people gathered at the Glover Drive store in Edmonton. | In London, police were called by both Tesco staff and queuing shoppers as people gathered at the Glover Drive store in Edmonton. |
| Officers also attended Tesco stores in Willesden and Surrey Quays. | Officers also attended Tesco stores in Willesden and Surrey Quays. |
| The Metropolitan Police said officers worked with staff to "ensure that sale-goers were able to enter and exit the stores safely", and said no-one had been injured "as a result of the overcrowding". | The Metropolitan Police said officers worked with staff to "ensure that sale-goers were able to enter and exit the stores safely", and said no-one had been injured "as a result of the overcrowding". |
| Sgt Paul Marshall, a Metropolitan Police officer, tweeted: "Even on #BlackFriday shoving people to the floor so you can get £20 off a Coffee Maker is still an assault." | Sgt Paul Marshall, a Metropolitan Police officer, tweeted: "Even on #BlackFriday shoving people to the floor so you can get £20 off a Coffee Maker is still an assault." |
| In South Wales, police said they were called by concerned staff at a number of Tesco stores. | In South Wales, police said they were called by concerned staff at a number of Tesco stores. |
| A spokesman said officers were twice called to Tesco in Excelsior Road, Cardiff, just after midnight, when concerns were raised about customer conduct inside the shop. No arrests were made. | A spokesman said officers were twice called to Tesco in Excelsior Road, Cardiff, just after midnight, when concerns were raised about customer conduct inside the shop. No arrests were made. |
| Police were called to Tesco at Silverburn in the Pollok area of Glasgow about 11:45 GMT on Thursday after staff reported scuffles among several customers. | Police were called to Tesco at Silverburn in the Pollok area of Glasgow about 11:45 GMT on Thursday after staff reported scuffles among several customers. |
| The store was closed for a period, and footage from the scene shows shoppers shoving each other as they attempt to grab items from trolleys. | The store was closed for a period, and footage from the scene shows shoppers shoving each other as they attempt to grab items from trolleys. |
| Police were also called to the Tesco in Kingsway, Dundee, to help with crowd control. | Police were also called to the Tesco in Kingsway, Dundee, to help with crowd control. |
| Avon and Somerset Police said they were called after scuffles in the queue at Tesco in Brislington, Bristol, at about midnight. | Avon and Somerset Police said they were called after scuffles in the queue at Tesco in Brislington, Bristol, at about midnight. |
| The BBC's Zoe Conway tweeted a picture of a woman on her knees with the words: "Customers knocked to the ground in the rush at Asda Wembley #BlackFriday." | The BBC's Zoe Conway tweeted a picture of a woman on her knees with the words: "Customers knocked to the ground in the rush at Asda Wembley #BlackFriday." |
| Jamie Hook was buying food at Tesco in Stretford on Thursday night when he said "the screaming started". | Jamie Hook was buying food at Tesco in Stretford on Thursday night when he said "the screaming started". |
| "I looked at the massive crowd to see people climbing over shelves and displays, staff running for cover, fights breaking out, stock flying through air, people breaking through carrying televisions - and this was before the sale had even started," he said. | "I looked at the massive crowd to see people climbing over shelves and displays, staff running for cover, fights breaking out, stock flying through air, people breaking through carrying televisions - and this was before the sale had even started," he said. |
| "The lady on the till I was at was in tears, terrified of it all, but she was under orders to close her till to go and help crowd control." | "The lady on the till I was at was in tears, terrified of it all, but she was under orders to close her till to go and help crowd control." |
| Amish Gosai, from London, visited three Tesco stores in the early hours of Friday and said that in one: "It was a case of whoever was bigger got to the front of the queue." | Amish Gosai, from London, visited three Tesco stores in the early hours of Friday and said that in one: "It was a case of whoever was bigger got to the front of the queue." |
| Sir Peter Fahy, Chief Constable of Greater Manchester Police, expressed his frustration via his Twitter account about the amount of Black Friday-related work being asked of his officers. | Sir Peter Fahy, Chief Constable of Greater Manchester Police, expressed his frustration via his Twitter account about the amount of Black Friday-related work being asked of his officers. |
| In a statement, he also said he was "disappointed that stores did not have sufficient security staff on duty". | In a statement, he also said he was "disappointed that stores did not have sufficient security staff on duty". |
| "Across Greater Manchester large supermarkets already make significant demands on policing through calls to shoplifting, anti-social behaviour and thefts of fuel from their petrol stations - much of which is preventable," he said. | "Across Greater Manchester large supermarkets already make significant demands on policing through calls to shoplifting, anti-social behaviour and thefts of fuel from their petrol stations - much of which is preventable," he said. |
| "We just ask these stores to work with us to reduce the demands on policing and reduce the risks of disorder and crime." | "We just ask these stores to work with us to reduce the demands on policing and reduce the risks of disorder and crime." |
| A Tesco spokesman said: "Over 600 Tesco stores have Black Friday offers available in store. | A Tesco spokesman said: "Over 600 Tesco stores have Black Friday offers available in store. |
| "In the interest of customer safety a small number of these stores contacted police last night to help control crowds safely and stores are now trading normally." | "In the interest of customer safety a small number of these stores contacted police last night to help control crowds safely and stores are now trading normally." |
| Black Friday - historically the big sales day in America that follows the Thanksgiving holiday - has been adopted by an increasing number of shops in the UK. | Black Friday - historically the big sales day in America that follows the Thanksgiving holiday - has been adopted by an increasing number of shops in the UK. |
| The websites of several retailers, including Tesco, Argos and John Lewis, crashed earlier due to the number of shoppers trying to access them. | The websites of several retailers, including Tesco, Argos and John Lewis, crashed earlier due to the number of shoppers trying to access them. |
| Despite its website problems, John Lewis said it was forecasting record online sales by the end of Friday. It said Apple's iPad mini and a discounted food processor were its fastest-selling products in early sales. | Despite its website problems, John Lewis said it was forecasting record online sales by the end of Friday. It said Apple's iPad mini and a discounted food processor were its fastest-selling products in early sales. |
| Currys said it experienced "astonishing" online demand overnight, with a "pre-planned queuing system" operating. | Currys said it experienced "astonishing" online demand overnight, with a "pre-planned queuing system" operating. |
| Many retailers have been advertising Black Friday deals, with Tesco offering discounts of up to 70%. | Many retailers have been advertising Black Friday deals, with Tesco offering discounts of up to 70%. |
| At about 07:00 GMT on Friday Tesco tweeted that it had "loads" of Black Friday bargains - but that tweet was later deleted. | At about 07:00 GMT on Friday Tesco tweeted that it had "loads" of Black Friday bargains - but that tweet was later deleted. |
| And on Friday afternoon, Tesco also tweeted that it was having problems with its website, due to "huge demand". | |
| The company has previously said it expects Black Friday to beat Boxing Day sales in 2014. | The company has previously said it expects Black Friday to beat Boxing Day sales in 2014. |
| Its 24-hour stores began selling a minute after midnight, and extra staff have been laid on in some areas. | Its 24-hour stores began selling a minute after midnight, and extra staff have been laid on in some areas. |
| Are you shopping for a bargain in the Black Friday sales? Did you attend any of the sales overnight? Email haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk with your experience. | Are you shopping for a bargain in the Black Friday sales? Did you attend any of the sales overnight? Email haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk with your experience. |
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