WhatsApp Messages Triggered a Frenzy for Eclipse Glasses in London

On 12 August 2026, a WhatsApp group told thousands of people where to buy eclipse glasses across London. They rushed to the spots within minutes. One shop owner said "very bad things" happened and begged for calm after buyers threatened bad reviews and drove from as far as Birmingham. A Whitechapel store sold 6,000 pairs delivered from Spain at 2:30am before 9:30am.