Brawls and arrests on 'Gray Thursday' overshadow quiet Black Friday after stores open their doors to bargain hunters on Thanksgiving Day

  • Walmart, Best Buy and Macy's are just a few of the stores across the country that opened early Thanksgiving night - leaving the crowds thinner and more sedate on Friday
  • Instead the chaos came on Thursday evening as crowds gathered for deals and snatched electronics from each other
  • Arrests were made following fights in malls across Indiana and California, while police also responded to another call in California about two women scrapping over a Barbie doll
  • 11 arrests were made on Friday as Walmart workers protested their pay and conditions at 1,600 stores
  • Stores in Colorado offered deals on marijuana in what they have dubbed 'Green Friday'
  • Shoppers are also getting involved in the madness abroad, as people in the U.K. took photos of mayhem in the aisles
  • In St Louis, Missouri, people demonstrating the grand jury's decision not to indict cop Darren Wilson took their protests to shopping malls and walked through stores shouting: 'Hands up, don't shop'

By Ashley Collman and Lydia Warren for MailOnline and Associated Press and Reuters

Published: 18:45 EST, 27 November 2014 | Updated: 17:17 EST, 28 November 2014

There were far fewer shoppers - and brawls - than usual across shops during today's Black Friday after many big-box stores opened their doors to bargain hunters on Thursday evening. 

As many as 96 million shoppers were expected to hit the streets on Friday, but mall crowds were relatively thin and workers reported fewer shoppers - in a sign that the mad rush is happening the night of Thanksgiving and more consumers are picking up deals online.

'We've been really slow now,' Janelle Martin, a mall worker in St Petersburg, Florida, told WTSP on Friday. 'I don't feel like it's Black Friday…because Black Friday is when you shop. It doesn't count when you come in on Thanksgiving at 6 o'clock.'

Most major retailers now open their doors Thursday evening and offer extended holiday deals rather than limiting them to one day. The result is a quieter experience on what has traditionally been the busiest, and sometimes most chaotic, shopping day of the year.

'It just looks like any other weekend,' said Angela Olivera, a 32-year old housewife shopping for children's clothing at the Westfarms Mall near Hartford, Connecticut. 'The kind of crowds we usually see are missing and this is one of the biggest malls here. I think people are just not spending a lot.'

But the crowds were not entirely absent.

The swarms of shoppers normally reserved for Black Friday morning appeared Thursday night instead; multiple arrests were reported across the country and videos emerged showing bargain hunters scrapping over electronics. 

Scroll down for videos 

Playing nice: Target shoppers wait calmly in line to check out on Friday in South Portland, Maine. The store opened at midnight

Playing nice: Target shoppers wait calmly in line to check out on Friday in South Portland, Maine. The store opened at midnight

'Normal weekend': Shoppers exit an H&M clothing store at the shops at Columbus Circle on an unusually quiet Black Friday

'Normal weekend': Shoppers exit an H&M clothing store at the shops at Columbus Circle on an unusually quiet Black Friday

Time to go home: A girl lies on a couch as her guardian checks out shoes at the Garden State Plaza mall in Paramus, N.J.

Time to go home: A girl lies on a couch as her guardian checks out shoes at the Garden State Plaza mall in Paramus, N.J.

Let the shopping begin! Instead, many of the crowds were seen on Thursday as stores opened early. Pictured, excited shoppers rush into the JCPenny store in Jersey City, New Jersey onThanksgiving

Let the shopping begin! Instead, many of the crowds were seen on Thursday as stores opened early. Pictured, excited shoppers rush into the JCPenny store in Jersey City, New Jersey onThanksgiving

Stocking up: Ahmad Ali and his wife, Ghalzal, get in line for three flat-screen TVs at a Target just after midnight in South Portland, Maine

Stocking up: Ahmad Ali and his wife, Ghalzal, get in line for three flat-screen TVs at a Target just after midnight in South Portland, Maine

In Indianapolis, two people were arrested for punching an off-duty police officer in a mall parking lot around 3am, Fox59 reported, while sheriff's deputies were also called to a Walmart store in Norwalk, California after two women started fighting over a Barbie doll.   

The brawls are part of a yearly tradition in which shoppers across the country fight to get their hands on cut-down electronics and toys. This year, shoppers abroad also shared videos of mayhem in the aisles as the sales - and scraps - spread to other countries, such as the U.K.

In another new move this year, stores in Colorado - which legalized the sale of recreational marijuana in January - are giving deals on pot, in what stores have dubbed 'Green Friday'.

One Denver store was offering a limited number of ounces of marijuana for $50 each, compared to the usual $250 per ounce, USA Today reported. Another store was selling single-serving marijuana-infused pumpkin pies, while another manufacturer offered pumpkin-spice mocha chocolate bars.

In the U.S., 96 million people are expected to head out in search of steep discounts today. In total, around 140 million people are expected to shop in stores or online this weekend. The National Retail Federation forecasts holiday sales will grow 4.1 per cent to $616.9 billion - the biggest jump since 2011. 

Stay back! Police had to be called in to pull shoppers off TV sets at a Walmart Black Friday sale on Thursday

Black-eye Friday: Skirmishes broke out at big-box stores across the country on Thursday night as the holiday shopping season began. Images show a fight over televisions a Walmart overnight - before police officers eventually stepped in

While supplies last: A Vine user named Kenan Reed took this video which appears to show shoppers at a Walmart hustling to get their hands on a dwindling supply of tablets

While supplies last: A Vine user named Kenan Reed took this video which appears to show shoppers at a Walmart hustling to get their hands on a dwindling supply of tablets

In a video grab taken from another Walmart sale on Thursday, customers swarm to get their hands on a popular product 

In a video grab taken from another Walmart sale on Thursday, customers swarm to get their hands on a popular product 

Scrap: Another Vine user shared this video, which apparently shows youngsters fighting in a Georgia mall overnight

Braving the crowds: Shoppers enter Macy's to kick off Black Friday sales at the store's flagship location in New York on Thanksgiving

Braving the crowds: Shoppers enter Macy's to kick off Black Friday sales at the store's flagship location in New York on Thanksgiving

Working off the turkey: A horde of shoppers peruse the ground floor of Macy's in New York City on Thursday night

Working off the turkey: A horde of shoppers peruse the ground floor of Macy's in New York City on Thursday night

And protesters are also adding to the chaos. Across Walmart stores, employees are staging a massive strike to protest low pay, while in the St Louis, Missouri area, people against the grand jury's decision not to indict cop Darren Wilson have been demonstrating in stores. 

In the Indiana arrest, a man was kicked out of a mall for being rowdy and allegedly picked on another man in the parking lot - giving him a bloody nose. When an off-duty officer told the man to leave, he began punching the officer instead, Fox59 reported. 

The man's girlfriend then arrived on the scene and also started hitting the officer - and the couple was arrested. The officer was not hurt.

In Norwalk, two women started pushing each other over a Barbie doll on Thursday night. According to Walmart's Black Friday advertisement, some Barbie dolls were on sale for $5 each.

Officers arrived were able to diffuse the situation and no one was arrested,CBS reported. No one was injured.

'The whole thing was pretty stupid,' one shopper said. 

Nearby in Tustin, California, two women were arrested after a fight broke out at a Kohl's around 1am on Friday, according to KTLA, and a third woman was transported to hospital. 

Green is the new black: In Denver, Colorado - where recreational marijuana is legal - customers line up for 'Green Friday'

Green is the new black: In Denver, Colorado - where recreational marijuana is legal - customers line up for 'Green Friday'

Thirsty work: Hundreds of people line up outside the Lakefront Brewery in Milwaukee for their limited edition beer

Thirsty work: Hundreds of people line up outside the Lakefront Brewery in Milwaukee for their limited edition beer

Worth the wait? The first of hundreds of craft beer fans anxiously wait to be the first to get their hands on Goose Island Beer Company's limited Black Friday release of Bourbon County Brand Stout on Friday in Chicago

Worth the wait? The first of hundreds of craft beer fans anxiously wait to be the first to get their hands on Goose Island Beer Company's limited Black Friday release of Bourbon County Brand Stout on Friday in Chicago

In the Walmart videos uploaded online, police officers are called in to physically pull the customers off TVs, which are on sale for $102 off.

But even after the police get involved, one of the men is seen trying to grab the television again, and has to be pushed away by a female officer.   Eventually more officers step in and order everyone back and away from the TVs. 

A videographer from La Porte, Indiana captured a similar scene at another Walmart store in Michigan City, this time with shoppers fighting to get a limited supply of Sony subwoofer speakers, discounted from $138 to $88. 

At the beginning of the clip, a young couple in matching Kyle Long Chicago Bears football jerseys hustle to get one of the speakers, nearly tipping over a cart in the process. The man is successful and whips the large box over his head, nearly hitting an innocent man in a wheelchair. 

Later, a woman in a green coat is seen arguing with a man in a grey jacket over the same speaker, while a store employee in a safety vest tries to mediate the situation.  

 

Worth the wait? Shoppers line up in the cold outside a Best Buy in Dartmouth, Massachusetts early on Friday ahead of opening

Worth the wait? Shoppers line up in the cold outside a Best Buy in Dartmouth, Massachusetts early on Friday ahead of opening

Stocking up: Three Target shoppers check competitors' prices on their phones while shopping after midnight on Friday

Stocking up: Three Target shoppers check competitors' prices on their phones while shopping after midnight on Friday

Something for the kids: Toys R Us is one of the many stores opening Thanksgiving night to start the holiday shopping season early. Above, people enter the Toys R Us store in New York City's Times Square which opened at 5pm on Thursday

Something for the kids: Toys R Us is one of the many stores opening Thanksgiving night to start the holiday shopping season early. Above, people enter the Toys R Us store in New York City's Times Square which opened at 5pm on Thursday

Time and a half? A Macy's employee carries boxes of shoes out onto the sales floor after the store opened early on Thanksgiving

Time and a half? A Macy's employee carries boxes of shoes out onto the sales floor after the store opened early on Thanksgiving

There to help: Puppies and staff from PetSmart greet shoppers after the store dispatched a team of puppies to help with stress relief

There to help: Puppies and staff from PetSmart greet shoppers after the store dispatched a team of puppies to help with stress relief

Keeping calm: The puppies helped raise the spirits of shoppers at The Grove in Los Angeles on Friday

Keeping calm: The puppies helped raise the spirits of shoppers at The Grove in Los Angeles on Friday

All dressed up: For the occasion, the PetSmart puppies wore their best holiday party outfits

All dressed up: For the occasion, the PetSmart puppies wore their best holiday party outfits

MAYHEM ABROAD: BLACK FRIDAY MADNESS SPREADS TO THE UK 

Scenes of violence and chaos have also broken out across the UK as customers flock to get their hands on cut-price goods in what is usually an American tradition.

Police have been called to dozens of supermarkets as the midnight sales descended into chaos, with shoppers resorting to wrestling one another on the shop floor as they competed over discounted items.

One Tesco store in Manchester had to be closed just 36 minutes after opening due to fighting, while another customer was arrested on suspicion of assault in the Salford branch after allegedly telling a staff member that he would 'smash their face in'.

The chaos even led to one woman being injured by a falling TV, while there were reports of a fight breaking out when a teenage girl starting throwing advent calendars around the store. There were reports of staff being left in tears and with black eyes.

Online retailer Amazon is believed to have introduced the concept of Black Friday to the U.K. four years ago, with more businesses joining every year since. 

While the day after Thanksgiving has been the biggest day for holiday shopping in the past, more and more national chains like Best Buy, Macy's and Target are opening up on the holiday itself, sparking the same mayhem and chaos as Black Friday. 

In the Chicago suburb of Naperville, Illinois, the parking lot of a Walmart store was full roughly 30 minutes before Thanksgiving deals started at 6pm, including $199 iPad minis. In New York City, there were 500 people in line by the time a Target store in the East Harlem neighborhood opened at 6pm. 

And 200 people rushed in at the Toys R Us in New York City's Times Square when it opened at 5 pm.  

Mary Smalls, 40, was one of those waiting in line and said she plans to get all of her shopping done on Thanksgiving to avoid heading out on Black Friday.

'I'm going to try to avoid the crowds,' said Smalls, who plans on spending $300 or $400 on gifts this year.

However, some stores took a hard stance against opening early, even issuing statements condoning the practice of bringing employees in to work on a holiday.  

Shoe store DSW is one of the companies staying closed for the entirety of Thanksgiving day, and CEO Michael R McDonald issued this message on Facebook: 

'We BELIEVE FAMILY COMES FIRST AND YOU SHOULD BE AT HOME CELEBRATING WITH THEM ON THIS SPECIAL HOLIDAY. This means none of our stores will be open on Thanksgiving Day. In addition no stores will open before 7:00am on Black Friday.'

RadioShack was initially set to be closed on the holiday, but decided to open last minute with hours from 8am-noon and 5pm to midnight on Thanksgiving.

'Last year, we left a lot of opportunity on the table on Thanksgiving and Black Friday because of our reduced opening hours,' a company memo explained.

The Thanksgiving openings are one way retailers are trying to compete for Americans' holiday dollars. And many Americans apparently aren't upset at having to compromise family time on the holiday.

A survey conducted last year found that 38 per cent of shoppers planned to hit the stores on Thanksgiving.

Bill Martin, co-founder of ShopperTrak, which tracks data at 70,000 stores globally, is expecting a sales increase of 3 per cent to 5 per cent to $2.57billion to $2.62billion on Thanksgiving. Last year's figure grew two-fold from the year before.

The National Retail Federation expects 25.6 million shoppers to take advantage of the Thanksgiving openings, down slightly down from last year.

Kathy Grannis, a spokeswoman at the retail trade group, said that earlier promotions in the month and shoppers' uncertainty about when they can get the best deals are factors that could lead to fewer shoppers coming out on the holiday.

Nevertheless, Thanksgiving is starting to take a bite out of Black Friday business. Indeed, sales dropped 13.2 per cent to $9.74billion on Black Friday last year. Analysts said Thanksgiving sales were in part responsible for the decline.

Protest: Demonstrators speaking out against the grand jury's decision not to indict a Ferguson cop in the shooting death of a teenager stage a 'die-in' at the Galleria shopping mall in Brentwood, Missouri on Friday. The mall ended up closing down

Protest: Demonstrators speaking out against the grand jury's decision not to indict a Ferguson cop in the shooting death of a teenager stage a 'die-in' at the Galleria shopping mall in Brentwood, Missouri on Friday. The mall ended up closing down

On strike: Walmart employees - pictured here in a Maryland store - are striking across stores in response to poor pay

On strike: Walmart employees - pictured here in a Maryland store - are striking across stores in response to poor pay

Protest: Members of the protest group, including Zach Blume, left, are calling for more full-time work and an hourly wage of $15

Let us in! a huge crowd starts pushing through as a JCPenny employee opens the front doors for Thanksgiving night shopping in Jersey City, New Jersey 

Let us in! a huge crowd starts pushing through as a JCPenny employee opens the front doors for Thanksgiving night shopping in Jersey City, New Jersey 

Spreading abroad: In one startling scene in Wembley, London, a woman desperately clings on to a television

Spreading abroad: In one startling scene in Wembley, London, a woman desperately clings on to a television

Bargain hunters: Shoppers crowd outside a store before it opens in Sao Paulo on Friday. The 'Black Friday' shopping frenzy has been exported by international retailers and adopted by foreign retailers, gaining popularity in countries like Brazil

Bargain hunters: Shoppers crowd outside a store before it opens in Sao Paulo on Friday. The 'Black Friday' shopping frenzy has been exported by international retailers and adopted by foreign retailers, gaining popularity in countries like Brazil

Smiling faces: Most of the anxious shoppers seemed to be in a good mood in New Jersey when the store opened Thursday evening 

Smiling faces: Most of the anxious shoppers seemed to be in a good mood in New Jersey when the store opened Thursday evening 

Game plan: A determined shopper with a massive TV speeds his cart into a side aisle to avoid traffic in Plainville, Massachusetts

Game plan: A determined shopper with a massive TV speeds his cart into a side aisle to avoid traffic in Plainville, Massachusetts

A TV in every room! Victor Flores adds another TV to a cart to make a total of six that him and his family bought during the Black Friday sales on Thanksgiving Day at Target in Odessa, Texas. Some of the family were first in line when they arrived at 9am Thursday

A TV in every room! Victor Flores adds another TV to a cart to make a total of six that him and his family bought during the Black Friday sales on Thanksgiving Day at Target in Odessa, Texas. Some of the family were first in line when they arrived at 9am Thursday

Holly jolly tunes : A band in Santa hats keep the crowds entertained outside the Times Square Toys R Us before it opened Thursday

Holly jolly tunes : A band in Santa hats keep the crowds entertained outside the Times Square Toys R Us before it opened Thursday

Instagram moment: A shopper stakes a picture of the crowd outside Manhattan's Macy's store on Thursday

Instagram moment: A shopper stakes a picture of the crowd outside Manhattan's Macy's store on Thursday

Devoted: Shoppers in Greenfield, Wisconsin wait in temperatures in the mid teens as they wait to start shopping on Friday

Devoted: Shoppers in Greenfield, Wisconsin wait in temperatures in the mid teens as they wait to start shopping on Friday

Packed: Walmart shoppers weave their carts through a crowded store in Fairfax, Virginia on Thursday

Packed: Walmart shoppers weave their carts through a crowded store in Fairfax, Virginia on Thursday

Just a quick break: Shoppers take a pause at a Starbucks store inside Manhattan's Macy's on Thursday

Just a quick break: Shoppers take a pause at a Starbucks store inside Manhattan's Macy's on Thursday

Need a hand? John Crocco, the district manager at Target, helps Martin Garcia, left, and his family cart six televisions they bought to their cars during the Black Friday shopping sales on Thanksgiving Day at Target in Odessa, Texas 

Need a hand? John Crocco, the district manager at Target, helps Martin Garcia, left, and his family cart six televisions they bought to their cars during the Black Friday shopping sales on Thanksgiving Day at Target in Odessa, Texas 

Where does the line end? Bargain hunters wait for the 5pm opening of a Best Buy store in Fairfax, Virginia

Where does the line end? Bargain hunters wait for the 5pm opening of a Best Buy store in Fairfax, Virginia

A FEW OF THE BLACK FRIDAY DEALS THAT HAD SHOPPERS LINING UP

Best Buy: A Panasonic 50-inch LED TV for $199.99

Originally: $549

Save: $349.01 

RadioShack: Beats Solo HD Drenched headphones in assorted colors for $69.99

Originally : $169.99

Save: $100 

Target: A Nikon Coolpix digital camera with 26x zoom for $99.00

Originally: $229.99

Save: $130.99

Walmart: A Disney Princess Ultimate Dream Castle for $75

Originally: $335 on Amazon

Save: $26

JCPenny: A 12-piece Cuisinart Advantage knife set for $17.99

Originally: $29.99

Save: $12

And Gerald Storch, who runs a retail consultancy called Storch Advisors, said stores that open on Thanksgiving get more of their share for the weekend than others who open on Friday.

'That's why they keep doing it,' he said. 'You have to be first.' 

Being first can lure shoppers like Raquila Wilkinson, 34, who arrived at the Target in New York at 2am - 15.5 hours before its 6pm opening. She has been deal hunting on Thanksgiving for a few years now.

'It's a tradition,' said Wilkinson. 'I look forward to it.'

On Wilkinson's shopping list? A 40-inch TV for $119, headphones for $97 and pajamas for $5.

But not every shopper is happy about stores opening on the holiday. A number of petitions have been circulating on change.org targeting Walmart, Target and other retailers for opening their stores on Thanksgiving, or starting their sales that day. Most of Walmart's stores already open around the clock.

For some stores though, opening on Thanksgiving isn't just about making money, it's about protecting their employees' safety. 

Walmart began opening on Thanksgiving after 2008, when a 34-year-old employee was trampled to death by a crowd of 2,000 frantic shoppers who burst through the front doors when the store opened Friday morning.

Opening earlier means less chaos on both Black Friday and Thanksgiving.

But both days continue to be notorious for inciting violence between agitated shoppers.

Just last year, a shopper in Las Vegas was shot in the leg while carrying a big-screen TV out of a Target on Thanksgiving night, by a robber who tried to steal the set.

Also in 2013, a police officer in Romeoville, Illinois shot a suspected shoplifter outside a Kohl's store, when the suspect started driving away, dragging another officer behind the vehicle. The suspect and injured officer were treated for shoulder injuries and three people were arrested.

And a video surfaced last year, showing a woman using a stun gun on another shopper in a brawl at the Franklin Mills Mall in Philadelphia.

The video shows two women in a fist fight, and someone in the background yelling, 'No, stop'.

When the two are thrown to the ground in the fighting, a cackle is heard and then fluorescent-colored sparks are seen, seeming to indicate a stun gun was brought out.

'An isolated incident occurred in the early morning hours between two female shoppers, that was quickly stopped by our security team, and both women were escorted out of the mall,' mall general manager John Ahle told NBC10 after the fight. 'We are committed to the safety of our shoppers, retailers and employees and will not tolerate this unacceptable behavior'.

To minimize danger to employees, Best Buy, for instance, has a ticketing and line process that starts two hours before doorbusters to ensure an orderly entrance into its stores. The company also says stores held training sessions last weekend to prep for this weekend's rush. 

At Target, deals are spread throughout the stores and signs direct shoppers to hot items. And the company says every store has a crowd-management captain for inside and outside the store.

That doesn't mean everyone remembers their manners. Wendy Iscra noted it got a little competitive at Wal-Mart in a Chicago suburb where she where she was shopping Thanksgiving.

'People were shoving each other in there,' the 40-year-old said.  

Corporate's watching! Brian Cornell, Chairman of the Board and CEO of Target (in white), joins store team members waiting for doors to open for the Black Friday sale at Target Thursday night in New York's East Harlem neighborhood

Corporate's watching! Brian Cornell, Chairman of the Board and CEO of Target (in white), joins store team members waiting for doors to open for the Black Friday sale at Target Thursday night in New York's East Harlem neighborhood

Checking out: Security personnel assist customers as they shop at Target during the Black Friday sale on Thursday in East Harlem, New York

Checking out: Security personnel assist customers as they shop at Target during the Black Friday sale on Thursday in East Harlem, New York

TVs, toasters and waffle makers: Shoppers stack their numerous purchases as they walk around a Best Buy store in McAllen, Texas Thursday night
TVs, toasters and waffle makers: Shoppers stack their numerous purchases as they walk around a Best Buy store in McAllen, Texas Thursday night

TVs, toasters and waffle makers: Shoppers stack their numerous purchases as they walk around a Best Buy store in McAllen, Texas Thursday night

Presents: Shoppers peruse action figure dolls at the Times Square Toys R Us Thursday evening. Black Friday sales, which now begin on the Thursday of Thanksgiving, continue to draw shoppers out for deals and sales

Presents: Shoppers peruse action figure dolls at the Times Square Toys R Us Thursday evening. Black Friday sales, which now begin on the Thursday of Thanksgiving, continue to draw shoppers out for deals and sales

Time to splurge: Customers grab shopping carts to hunt for early Black Friday deals Thanksgiving evening at a Best Buy in Indianapolis, Indiana

Time to splurge: Customers grab shopping carts to hunt for early Black Friday deals Thanksgiving evening at a Best Buy in Indianapolis, Indiana

Gamer: A Black Friday shopper checks out at Best Buy, carrying an Xbox One. The gaming console is on sale for $70 off 

Gamer: A Black Friday shopper checks out at Best Buy, carrying an Xbox One. The gaming console is on sale for $70 off 

One area of the country which had noticeably less Thanksgiving shopping spirit was the St Louis, Missouri area. 

St Louis, and especially its suburb of Ferguson, were the scene of race riots this week after it was announced on Monday that a grand jury decided not to indict local police Officer Darren Wilson for shooting dead unarmed black teen Michael Brown in August. 

Malls in the area closed early on Monday night, with several stores boarding up their entrances to guard against looting. More than a dozen businesses were burned to the ground.

And while Walmarts and Targets across the U.S. opened at 6pm Thanksgiving for all-night shopping, the stores near Ferguson were an exception. Walmart didn't open at all while Target planned to close at 10pm and re-open Friday morning.

'The safety and security of our guests and team members is a top priority for Target. We are closely monitoring the situation in the area, and will take the necessary action to protect our guests and team members, including temporarily adjusting store hours' Target spokesman Evan Lapiska told KDSK.

Demonstrations took place in Target and multiple Wal-Mart stores and protesters spent a few minutes at each store, shouting inside as law enforcement stood watch. There was no immediate word of arrests. The protests began Thanksgiving night and more are expected Friday.

Activists are tweeting their support of the boycott online with the hashtags #BlackOutFriday, #HandsUpDontSpend and #BrownFriday.

And in New York, when the Macy's store opened Thursday night, protesters gathered outside to draw attention to the Ferguson case, holding up signs saying 'Time to act' and 'Mike Brown'. 

In separate protests, Wal-Mart employees are calling on the company to pay its workers $15 an hour. The union-backed group Our Walmart says demonstrations are planned at 1,600 stores around the country.

Excitement: A boy waits to enter the Toys R Us in Times Square on November 27, 2014 in New York City

Excitement: A boy waits to enter the Toys R Us in Times Square on November 27, 2014 in New York City

Wish list: One of the first in line to enter the Toys R Us store checks out with her holiday loot on Thursday in New York City

Wish list: One of the first in line to enter the Toys R Us store checks out with her holiday loot on Thursday in New York City

Ready for Santa: Angela Santamaria, age 5, waits in line to go shopping at the Toys R Us in Times Square on Thanksgiving

Ready for Santa: Angela Santamaria, age 5, waits in line to go shopping at the Toys R Us in Times Square on Thanksgiving

Brown Friday: In New York on Thursday, protesters stood outside the Macy's store to protest the Black Friday sale in tribute to Michael Brown, the 18-year-old who was shot dead last August. On Monday, Brown's hometown of Ferguson, Missouri erupted in riots when it was announced that the officer who shot him would not face trial  

Brown Friday: In New York on Thursday, protesters stood outside the Macy's store to protest the Black Friday sale in tribute to Michael Brown, the 18-year-old who was shot dead last August. On Monday, Brown's hometown of Ferguson, Missouri erupted in riots when it was announced that the officer who shot him would not face trial  

Organizers say workers started walking off the job on Wednesday and some staged a sit-down strike at a store in Washington, D.C.

But Brooke Buchanan, a Wal-Mart spokeswoman, played down the impact of the protests. She said past protests have focused on a handful of locations with a handful of workers.

'Perception is not reality in this case. We've seen this story before,' she said.

And there's also trouble abroad. 

Black Friday is becoming a tradition in the United Kingdom, too, and businesses there are finding the shopping derby can lead to chaos. Early Friday morning, police were called to help maintain security at some supermarkets and shopping outlets that offered deep discounts starting at midnight.

'This created situations where we had to deal with crushing, disorder and disputes between customers,' said Peter Fahy, police chief for Greater Manchester.

Greater Manchester Police said there were two arrests as police closed some stores to prevent more severe problems. One woman was injured by a falling television set.

Online retailer Amazon is believed to have introduced the concept of Black Friday to the U.K. four years ago, with more businesses joining every year since.

A LIST OF WHAT STORES ARE OPEN AND CLOSED FOR THANKSGIVING

 OPEN: 

Big Lots: 7am

RadioShack: 8am-noon, 5pm

Toys R Us: 5pm

Best Buy: 5pm - 1am Friday

Staples: 6pm

Walmart: 6pm

Kmart: 6pm

Sears: 6pm

Kohls: 6pm

Target: 6pm

Macy's: 6pm 

JCPenney: 5pm

Office Depot and OfficeMax: 6pm - 9pm

RadioShack: 8am-noon, 5pm-midnight

Michael's: 4pm -2am Friday 

Old Navy: 4pm 

Dick's Sporting Goods: 5pm 

Sports Authority: 6pm

Victoria's Secret: 6pm 

Lord & Taylor: 6pm 

 CLOSED: 

DSW

Costco

Nordstrom 

Dillard's

BJ's 

Burlington Coat Factory

REI 

American Girl 

Crate and Barrel

Jo-Ann Fabric and Craft Stores

T.J. Maxx 

Marshalls

Pier 1 Imports 

Publix 

Sierra Trading Post 

Barnes and Noble 

Sam's Club

Home Depot 

Patagonia 

Bed, Bath and Beyond 

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