Wal-Mart workers, unionists, and supporters protested Wal-Mart's unfair labor practices and low wages in Arizona and across the country on Black Friday, Nov. 23, 2012. In dueling press releases on Saturday, representatives from the United Food and Commercial Workers reported 1000 protests nationwide at Wal-Mart stores, while the retail giant said they had the largest Black Friday ever and that the protests didn't hurt their business.
In Tempe, protesters nearly blocked the flow of traffic in and out of a Wal-Mart parking lot. Representatives from the Unitarian Universalist Church-- dressed in their Standing on the Side of Love t-shirts-- tried to peacefully deliver a letter a letter to the store manager but were quickly stopped by Wal-Mart security, who called in police. (Interestingly, when I was shooting my video on Black Friday in Tucson, store security hopped out of an unmarked beater car in the lot and stopped me from filming by threatening to call the police.)
After the jump, watch Phoenix videographer Dennis Gilman's video of protests in Maricpoa County. Tucson video is here.
I was there shooting still for a weekly magazine in Japan and met and talked a bit with Dennis. This video looked to me just like it was. What impressed me most was that when Rob Smith was talking with the Walmart staff and then the police no voices were raised. While there may have been violence at other Walmarts, I didn't see any here in Phoenix at Buckeye and Tempe.
Posted by: Dave McLane | November 25, 2012 at 09:42 AM
I want to be sure I understand: You took pictures n a public place at an event and Walmart threatened to call the police? what was to be the charge?????
Posted by: Francine Shacter | November 25, 2012 at 09:32 PM
There was no problem as long as we all stayed on the sidewalk. When I started filming in their parking lot! the uniformed security guard got out of an old, unmarked beater car and told me it was private property and that filming of any kind was not allowed and that he would call the police. I wasn't in the mood to provoke him, and I already had footage, so I left.
Now, if I had had a KVOA badge on, no problemo because, then I would have been there to do a shopping story.
Posted by: Pamela | November 26, 2012 at 07:49 AM