Dumb choice by Walmart.
Appeasing the moochers only means you get killed last.
Do banks give away free money when their ATM doesn’t work?
How many employees are you worried about having assaulted by rioting welfare mothers at an ATM machine?
If I’m managing that store, I’m on the phone to regional INFORMING them that I am allowing the transactions in order to maintain what little order is evident and NOT escalate the situation.
I’m then telling regional that the faster they can get a handle on what’s going on, the sooner I can empty the store and send my people home safely.
Arm-chair quarterbacking is the easiest bit of football there is to play.