It's Black Friday, the biggest shopping day of the year, and the perfect opportunity to bring out the very worst in humanity.
The birthplace of civilised queuing was lost to chaos on Friday as police were called to dozens of UK supermarkets and stores after hysterical shoppers quite literally fought the queues and with each other to get some bargain-busting TVs or a cut price toastie maker.
Horrified Britons who refrained from the carnage - prevalent in particular at Asda and Tesco supermarkets - have remarked on the horrors unfolding, from behind the safety of their keyboards.
Officers were called to a number of supermarkets overnight as thousands of customers sought bargains on what retailers hope will be one of the busiest shopping days of the year, that also resembles something out of a zombie apocalypse.
In scenes that wouldn't go amiss from a George A Romero movie, at least two people were arrested and a woman was hurt after being hit by a falling television, while some outlets were forced to shut to restore order.
Asda and Tesco shoppers appeared to be the most guilty of causing chaos with reports of several hundred people trying to storm a Tesco in Wigan, while the Tesco at Ellesmere Shopping Centre in Walkden had to be closed after a crowd of more than 500 people turned up.
In other strictly dignity-free zones, The Tesco Extra in Stretford was closed after fights broke out between shoppers trying to get their hands on sale stock and officers were called to Tesco Extra on Barton Road, Middleton, following reports that about 200 people would not leave, despite being told stock had all gone and the doors were locked.
A man was also arrested for a public order offence after reports of fighting after around 300 people descended on the Tesco Extra on Stockport Road, Hattersley.
Police were also called to seven Tesco stores across Greater Manchester and four supermarkets in London as people gathered at Tescos in Edmonton, Willesden and Surrey Quays and an Asda in Capitol Way, Edgware.
Video footage from an Asda in Wembley showed the very pinnacle of human achievement as people were filmed viciously fighting over televisions. Police were also called to Tescos at Silverburn in Glasgow, Dundee and Cardiff.
Black Friday is traditionally an American sale, the Friday after the Thanksgiving holiday, but retailers have begun to capitalise on the trend in the UK, and somehow it's escalated horribly. Much to the disgust of many Brits.
Here are said cheerleaders:
Others remained defiant and simply refused to acknowledge any of the nonsense:
Here, if you want to witness human devolution, are a series of Vines tweeted from a chaotic ASDA where shoppers can be seen pinned across the doors of the store, before charging in and scuffling with each other.
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