Below the fold, two short videos that capture the dramatic action at Apple’s flagship store on Fifth Avenue moments before the iPhone 3G went on sale Friday morning.
The first is a trip down the big circular staircase from the front of the line, with Apple staffers in blue and teal whooping, applauding and shouting encouragement.
The second shows what immediately preceded it: Daniel Bowman Simon, leader of TheWhoFarm group, being roughed up and escorted off the premises by one of the security guards hired by Apple (AAPL) to keep things orderly. He was first in line, having camped out for a week in front of the big glass cube, but something about him rubbed the head security guy the wrong way. Simon was trying to bring a basket of apples into the store when security grabbed him.
Daniel was eventually allowed into the store — without his apples — accompanied by two uniformed cops.
For more reporting from the iPhone 3G line, see Apple 2.0’s live blog here.
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