The action organized by the collective Survival Energy, Nike and Guadalupe went viral, culminating in overcrowding, trampling and injuries
The initial expectation was that of a party. One of the best original Air Max models in recent years, the Air Max DN, would be given away for free (100 pairs) to celebrate Air Max Day, celebrated every March 26th since 2014, when the sneaker turned 27 years old. But the result was far from what was expected. A much larger crowd than expected by the organizers, the Survival Energy collective, Nike and the Guadalupe store, created widespread confusion which, according to the Military Police of São Paulo, resulted in the wounding of six people, three of them in more serious conditions.
From this point on in the text I begin to write in the first person. I was there and followed everything that happened very closely. I arrived at 7pm, the time the action was scheduled to start, and Rua do Paraíso was already completely occupied. I expect from 1,500 to 2 thousand people. The meeting point was the Guadalupe store in Paraíso, right next door. At the intersection between the shop and Rua do Paraíso, the truck that would distribute the sneakers was parked, announced simply as a lucky event, without much explanation.
Around 8 p.m., T-shirts began to be thrown out of the tailgate of the truck. This is when the crowd noticed that some t-shirts had a sneaker voucher inside, to be exchanged on April 6th at the official sneaker launch event. From that point on, what was just an intense crowd turned into a pitched battle for T-shirts worth free sneakers. There were 250 t-shirts and 100 coupons. From what I saw, the 250 shirts didn’t get thrown because of the jostling that started shaking the truck.
Impatience grew, and some people climbed onto the truck and rain shelter of a nearby taxi rank to try to get the T-shirts directly from the source. This was the exact moment the event spiraled out of control. People began to crowd towards the truck, those who fell were trampled and the structure of the taxi rank collapsed, taking with it some young people who were still trampled.
Faced with chaos, the truck drove off, half of the people followed, still thinking it was dynamics, and the rest dispersed. Revealing the number of injured and lost and torn trainers along the way. Ironically, some people tried to get free sneakers and lost the ones they had. A teenager reportedly fractured a rib, some people were scratched and red and three young people, aged in their 20s, were seriously injured. The six injured were sent to five different hospitals in the vicinity of the region.
Despite numerous calls, help took about an hour to arrive (there was no help in the place rented by the organization). The police arrived first and dispersed the people who were trying to help in some way. One of the boys who began receiving treatment was shirtless and wrapped in a silver thermal blanket, a standard SAMU service process, which generated a social media rumor that he had died at the scene, which definitely did not It is true. I was right next to this guy and was even talking to him.
The organizers speak clearly
When contacted, Nike sent an official statement of position: “Regarding the action carried out last Tuesday, March 26, Nike, Guadalupe and Survival clarify that the commitment to the event exceeded initial expectations. However, it is with regret that We would like to point out that during the event “Following the event, some people required medical treatment. Importantly, fortunately, none of the cases were more serious. The organization is in contact with the respective families of those affected to provide assistance. Our priority is to support people who need medical attention to fully recover.”
Source: Terra
Ben Stock is a lifestyle journalist and author at Gossipify. He writes about topics such as health, wellness, travel, food and home decor. He provides practical advice and inspiration to improve well-being, keeps readers up to date with latest lifestyle news and trends, known for his engaging writing style, in-depth analysis and unique perspectives.
