Police Forced to Intervene as Versace Sample Sale Devolves Into Chaos

Police were forced to break up a rowdy Versace sample sale in New York City, as bloodthirsty deal-seekers nearly started a breakfast-time riot. It occurred around 9 a.m. Wednesday in Manhattan’s tony Chelsea neighborhood, home to celebrities like Harrison Ford and Nicole Kidman.

More than 1,000 customers filled the narrow city block, with some reportedly waiting outside the store all night. The scene was so intense that just a few hours after beginning the sale, shortly before noon, the store’s staff called the NYPD to assist them with crowd control.

Videos widely circulated on social media show the massive group of shoppers crowding the sidewalks. As the morning went on, they began spilling into the street. Police officers made valiant efforts to contain the mob as passing cars dodged the savvy bargain hunters.

When officers arrived, they quickly determined they declared a “Level 1 Mobilization,” temporarily halting the sale and evacuating the block. Footage from this period shows the irate shoppers’ indignance at being told they wouldn't be purchasing any luxury accessories on this particular day.

In a potentially iconic alert, the crime-notification app Citizen pinged its users with the update: “Large group fighting, blocking traffic due to sample sale.” One user quipped in the comments, “10 a.m. on a Wednesday? Do these people have jobs?”

According to the testimony of two eyewitnesses, the line erupted into chaos “all because [one woman] wanted to stand with her husband.” After she cut to the front of the line, the store apparently pledged that the second half of line would go first. “But they didn’t honor that,” the witness claimed.

After closing for several hours while officers cleared out the crowds, the sample sale apparently reopened with heightened security and stricter crowd control. As of Thursday, it was reportedly up and running as usual with a less lively crowd.