Sunday, January 18, 2009

Hello Kitty Toy riot in Singapore


McDonald's has been fed up security at its Singapore outlets after seven people were injured as crowds jostled to get their hands on Hello Kitty promotional dolls. The seven were injured on Thursday after frantic fans shattered a plate-glass door at one of the fast-food giant's 113 restaurants in the city-state. Three customers were taken to hospital and later discharged. It is the second such incident since the promotion was launched on New Year's Day, when a doctor and a lorry driver had a fist fight over the dolls. The popularity of the dolls - based on Japanese cartoon characters and dressed in wedding outfits - has made it difficult for producers to meet the demand. McDonald's said it would limit the number of hamburgers that could be bought by each customer to try to prevent further incidents. The police helped direct the flow of people at the more crowded restaurants. "We would like to appeal to all customers to keep calm and follow the directions of our staff on the scene," McDonald's director of marketing Fanny Lai said. The round-faced feline was created 25 years ago by Japan's Sanrio Co, and has since enjoyed widespread popularity across Asia and the United States.

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