‘It was really fast’: Frightened bar patrons spark a stampede when they confuse CrossFit gym joggers with rioters being chased by the police
- A viral surveillance video captured the moment bar customers raced down a street in Brazil after confusing CrossFit runners with rioters chased by cops
- Dozens of people abandoned their tables moments Cervejaria Alphaiate on Saturday night as chairs and tables were knocked to the floor
- Customers later realized that it was actually CrossFitters training and returned to the bar to resume their night out
A bevy of diners sparked a stampede when they confused a group of CrossFit runners with rioters who were being chased by authorities in the northeastern Brazilian state of Recife.
The customers were spread out across the sidewalk tables and suddenly stood up from their tables and started running, a surveillance camera at Cervejaria Alphaiate bar showed.
In the video, a woman was seen jogging and looking back as two other members of the CrossFit gym follow her steps, including a man with a dog on a leash.
A female customer appeared to sense that she was in harm’s way and immediately grabbed her purse and started running as a man who was seated with her started to follow her.
Frightened customers flee after they spotted a group from a local CrossFit gym running and mistakenly confused them with rioters Saturday night in Recife, Brazil
The management at Cervejaria Alphaiate said the confused customers eventually returned to the bar
Customers at the Cervejaria Alphaiate in Recife, Brazil, can be seen enjoying themselves Saturday night along the bar’s sidewalk tables moments before they sparked a stampede when they confused runners from a CrossFit gym with rioters
Within seconds, dozens of diners abandoned their tables and rushed down the sidewalk. One shocked customer stumbled out of his chair and fell on the street pavement as more CrossFitters ran past the restaurant.
Dr. Amyr Kelner told Brazilian news outlet G1 that he was at a table with six people when his friend grabbed her bag and fled.
‘It was really fast. People were coming slowly, then, when they got close to our table, they started running …,’ Dr. Kelner said. ‘She got up and at that moment someone shouted that it was a (police sweep). That’s when I got up, shouted that it was a sweep too and ran away.’
The doctor recalled someone near him thought he had a gun when they saw him putting his cell phone and wallet in his pocket.
A runner jogs with his jog before diners confused him and other runners with a group of rioters in the Brazilian city of Boa Viagem
A woman and one of her table guests took of running because they spotted CrossFit runners and confused them with a group of rioters
One of the bar customers, Dr. Amyr Kelner, told Brazilian news outlet G1 that he and six friends took off running because they thought the runners were actually rioters being chased by the police
Dr. Kelner said customers from nearby establishments also took off running after they noticed the rush of people coming their way.
He and his group of friends ran inside another bar to seek refuge and then noticed that nothing was happening.
‘Everyone started laughing and went back to the tables as if nothing had happened,’ Dr. Kelner said.
Management at the Cervejaria Alphaiate told G1 on Thursday that the incident was simply ‘a misunderstanding.’
‘It was clarified that nothing occurred, in a few minutes all those present returned to their tables and continued with the service,’ the restaurant said.
It did make light of the moment Friday by posting a video on its Instagram of waiters running to empty tables.