When you have a culture that treats everyone as potential criminals and enemies of the police, this kind of thing will happen regularly. See the D&D for some of my discussions on why this is the culture of our society today (hint, it has to do with prohibition).
Me too. Cellphones in public places are rude to begin with. Cellphones in movie theatres? Pepper spray away!
Holy crap! I agree that taking a phone call in a movie is pretty messed up, even if it is just the opening credits -- take it outside if you must take it. That said, sounds like that cop went way over the line in his response. He should be suspended at the least for abuse of his power... any other person would get arrested for assault.
I mean a lot of it depends on the details. IF we are to believe the lady behind the counter's account of what happened, then the cop went over the line. If they were putting up a struggle, then pepper spray is a great way to get them to obey police orders. The pain goes away and does no real damage to you.
I have been pepper sprayed and It is some excruciating pain. Of course at the time I did deserve it. You can barely breath because it gets in your nose and mouth. Snot just starts running everywhere and you will continue to feel pain days later anytime you take a warm/hot shower. But you better believe I obeyed once they sprayed me.
Where did this cop come from exactly? I don't recall seeing any cops hanging out actually in the movies. I've seen them near the front doors and such but in the movie itself? Maybe he was off-duty or something?
That's what I was wondering. As annoying as cell phones in theaters are, is a cop really even empowered to ask them to leave? Would a disorderly conduct charge stick for that? Anyway... lawsuit.
Thats what I was thinking. Sounds a lil fishy to me that this cop just marched in there, shoved these patrons into the hall and then pepper sprayed them all for just talking on a cell phone. Seems like some of the details are missing.
The officer was likely working off-duty security at the theater. It's very common for companies to hire off-duty officers as security. And, despite being off-duty, they are allowed to wear their police uniforms, etc. There was a series of incidents at Dillard's department stores with off-duty police officers working security that has led some to believe that the police are not properly trained to work the kind of security stores want because it's a different kind of work than being a police officer. It was a common complaint in the Dillard's cases that the police officers overreacted to the situation (to the point that there have been a few deaths in Dillard's department stores). But who knows. I'm not that officer, so I don't know what he was thinking to make him believe the use of pepper spray was necessary. But, it seems to me, that people talking on their cell phones in movie theaters should be dealt with. I've certainly seen quite a few people answer their phones and have semi-long conversations while the movie was running. While I don't necessarily think they needed to be pepper sprayed, it wouldn't have hurt my feelings if they were kicked out of the movie.
I'm sure Warronica and KC obeyed the officer and did nothing to provoke him. Crazy officers abusing their auth-or-i-thy. Movies are getting out of hand. I've been relegated to going to movies at 10:30a on Sundays.
Tickets = $8.50x2=17.00 Popcorn = $5.00 Coke = $3.75 M+Ms = $3.00 Cell phones ringing Entire families in front row, kids running around People talking scary bathrooms vs. new DVD = $13.99 own popcorn, coke, candy = $2 phone off dog may whine to go out no one talking my bathroom with reading material and better quality tp This is why I have the jacked-up home theater setup.
Me too. I definitely like watching the movies on my Home Theater more than going to the movies. With Netflix and a DVD burner, it costs even less than that. Allegedly.
The only problem is, I'm not paitient enough to wait to see things like the Bourne Supremacy. I'll gladly shell out the money to take my girlie to go see it.
