News

The craze for buying the latest model of Nike’s range of Michael Jordan-inspired trainers caused such furor on Friday, leading to a series of disturbances and arrests in a number of cities around the US, police revealed.

Several people suffered cuts and scratches as a result of fighting that broke out between hopeful shoppers lining up to buy the much-coveted Air Jordan 11 Retro Concord. Released on Friday, the latest of edition of the shoe (originally launched in 1996) is priced at $180.

In certain suburbs of Seattle, in the state of Washington, police had to use pepper spray to disperse around 20 customers who started fighting in a local shopping mall.

In Atlanta (Georgia), crowds broke down the door to one store which led to the arrest of four people while one woman was detained after leaving her children unattended in her vehicle in order to buy a new pair of Jordan Nikes.

Further unrest broke out in Taylor, Michigan, where 100 people broke into a mall, and in Toledo, Ohio where three people were arrested, also for breaking and entering.

In Indianapolis, Indiana, a girl was trampled in a stampede, while in Maryland police detained four minors and one adult charged with disorderly conduct.

In a statement, Nike expressed concern for the incidents and encouraged those who wish to buy the sports shoes to do so “in a safe and respectful manner”.

The sports shoes are greatly sought after for their design and for being the new edition of a model originally brought out in 1996 when Michael Jordan was at the height of his career. Pairs are already being sold on eBay for as much as 600 dollars.

The disturbances registered last Friday were reminiscent of similar violent incidents which occurred 20 years ago, when attacks and even murders were carried out by people anxious to obtain a pair of the very first Air Jordans, which were launched by Nike in 1984.