A caffeinated gang of annoying white hipsters in Seattle did their level best to ruin Christmas this year by surrounding the city’s annual Christmas tree-lighting ceremony, chanting and making a bunch of little kids cry.

The young, well-heeled, largely white crowd of demonstrators was protesting in response to Monday’s announcement that a grand jury in Missouri had refused to indict white police officer Darren Wilson for killing Michael Brown, an 18-year-old black male, on Aug. 9.

Friday’s incident in Seattle occurred at Westlake Mall, according to local NBC affiliate KING-TV.

Westlake Mall is some 2,119 miles away from Ferguson, Mo., where Wilson shot Brown.

Protesters stormed the mall on Black Friday, forcing stores to close five hours early on what is traditionally the busiest shopping day of the year across America. They managed to disrupt the tree-lighting ceremony where a throng of young children was present. Many of the children were frightened because they did not understand the situation, parents said.

“America goes where their pocketbook goes, so today we’re blocking Black Friday,” protest leader Marissa Johnson said, according to the NBC station. “We want you to be uncomfortable shopping.”

Demonstrators commandeered escalators. They harangued shoppers. They blocked traffic and shut down rail service to the busy mall. They also participated in a “die-in” on the fourth floor.

KING-TV employee Eric Wilkinson tweeted:

Children crying in the crowd as #Ferguson protesters disrupt Seattle tree lighting. — Eric Wilkinson (@EricWilkinson) November 29, 2014

Meanwhile, Brandi Kruse, a reporter at local CBS affiliate KIRO had this to tweet:

VIDEO: Protesters interrupt #Seattle's Christmas tree lighting, forcing it to be cut short. http://t.co/C8ZYNwwW1q pic.twitter.com/oiIKUO9vfC — Brandi Kruse (@BrandiKruse) November 29, 2014

Kids who came here to sing for tree lighting were unable to. Protester: "Who cares. Mike Brown doesn't get a Christmas." #Seattle #Ferguson — Brandi Kruse (@BrandiKruse) November 29, 2014

There's a band here playing, but protesters are trying to drown it out with "black lives matter" chant. pic.twitter.com/jTfEhDC3kJ — Brandi Kruse (@BrandiKruse) November 29, 2014

And the office of Seattle Mayor Ed Murray tweeted:

After tree lighting, @Mayor_Ed_Murray and @SeattlePD Chief O'Toole visited with young carolers who were interrupted by protestors. — SEA Mayor's Office (@OfficeofMayor) November 29, 2014

“[V]iolence against property or police officers will not be tolerated in our city,” Murray said in a statement obtained by local CBS affiliate KIRO.

Police eventually used pepper spray on protesters — though not in the mall — and arrested five people. Charges included assaulting police officers and damaging a police bicycle.

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