Protesters invade Macy's in Herald Square, arrests made

HERALD SQUARE (WABC) -- Police arrested several people at the Macy's in Herald Square this Black Friday.

Hundreds of protesters gathered at the store to "Black Out Black Friday".

The point of Friday's protest was to encourage people to take a stand in honor of Mike Brown instead of shopping on this Black Friday. Protesters began assembling at Macy's in Herald Square early Friday afternoon and didn't stop marching and voicing their message until late in the evening.

"Hands up, don't shoot," the protesters shouted.

It's a chant that's become synonymous with the shooting death of Mike Brown, and one repeated by protesters both outside and inside the Macy's in Herald Square.

With signs and fists raised demonstrators urged shoppers to join their cause boycotting Black Friday.

"It disgusts me that people are at home or shopping and they should be out here fighting for the cause," said Joel Thomas, a protester.

"The message today is a lot of people are shopping when atrocities are going on," said Lily Pisano, a protester.

While most peacefully assembled and obeyed police commands, at least seven were arrested over the course of the evening.

After surrounding Macy's for several hours, the group then marched to Union Square before continuing on to the Village and SoHo.

"Out of the store into the streets," a protester yelled.

Dozens of NYPD officers both on foot and inside vehicles kept close watch on the group who ended their march at police headquarters.

"We want to end this stuff, we want to end this police brutality, it is 2014, when is this going to end?" a protester said.

The protests didn't seem to be slowing down sales though. Macy's CEO Terry Lundgren says he thinks Black Friday will be the company's biggest sales day of the year.