ASTONISHING footage shows an Iceland security guard get into a violent food fight with a customer.
Bottles of water, eggs and broccoli are among the items thrown across the store during the bizarre altercation.
It is not known what kicked off the amazing scenes but the customer appears to start by throwing food at the security man escorting him from the store in High Road, Ilford, London.
Louis Hakes, 21, from Manchester, filmed the incident at the end of which the security man appears to lunge at his opponent with an object in his right hand.
The apprentice rail engineer filmed the mayhem last night and posted the video to social media with the caption: “When you go Iceland for a change and nearly end up in a food fight.”
The clip begins with the security guard mid-argument with the customer and walking him towards the exit of the store.
The guard, whose top clearly says “security” on the back, and with a yellow band visible on the arm says to the man: “Hit me with a screwdriver. Go on hit me with a screwdriver.”
He continues escorting the man to the exit when he picks up an item from the shelf and suddenly throws it at him.
The man again throws an item at the guard, who then picks up items from a nearby basket and begins retaliating.
Laughing can be heard as an all out food fight ensues between the security guard and customer.
The two exchange packs of bottles water, vegetables, and eggs, as the store’s alarm rings, and a voice can be heard shouting: “Oi, oi, oi oi.”
They then begin arguing, shouting at one another at the store exit as shocked staff, customers watch on.
At one point, as the two take swipes at one another, the guard appears to try to stab the customer with an object in his right hand.
The guard comes back into the store, with the customer seemingly leaving, and debris from the food fight can be seen all over the shop floor as the clip comes to an end.
Speaking today, Louis said: “At first I thought they were joking when I heard raised voices.
“There’s always loud people around this area and I thought nothing of it until the pushing and shoving started, and that’s when I started videoing.”
Some Facebook users found the clip funny, making jokes about it.
Melissa Walton wrote: “Normally how my Friday night shift ends.”
Tom Alex Pritchard commented: “Legend.”
Toni Kyle said: “Omg I’d get the popcorn out.”
However, some users were shocked at the actions of the guard.
Daniel Fisher wrote: “Man, security guard is a damn melt. But watch him try to stab the man in his leg as he’s just outside the door meant to be a role model.”
Anton Jonathan commented: “More curious as to what the security guard was trying to stab the other guy in the leg with, setting a great example for the rest of us that work in the industry.”
A spokesman for the Metropolitan Police said they could not comment as they did not have any reports or calls relating to the time and location.
Keith Hann, Director of Corporate Affairs for Iceland, said: “The security officers in our stores are not Iceland employees.
“A manager from our security contractor is currently investigating the circumstances in which this confrontation took place.
“I don’t think it would be appropriate for Iceland to make any comment until this investigation has been completed.”
An Iceland spokesman issued an updated statement, saying: “The security officer employed by our contractor in the Iceland Ilford store was filmed responding to an assault by a person he had detected attempting to steal goods.
“He was then threatened with a screwdriver by the shoplifter and had items thrown at him.
“The security officer accepts that he overreacted in retaliating as he did, because of the risk to innocent passers-by, and has been appropriately reprimanded by his employer.”
The spokesman added: “Iceland has more than 930 stores in the UK and assaults on our store colleagues and security contractors, most commonly as the result of attempting to prevent shoplifting, are sadly a daily occurrence.
“Given the levels of provocation that they suffer, instances of overreaction by security personnel are exceptionally rare.”
