Pepper spray confrontation at AMC reignites frustration over phone use in theaters

A man arrested for allegedly pepper-spraying a cellphone user at a movie theater has emerged as a controversial figure among moviegoers, with some branding him a “hero” and others condemning the act.

Police in Burbank, California, arrested 34-year-old Matthew Ware on Tuesday evening after he allegedly attacked another moviegoer for using their phone during a screening.

Ware was booked on suspicion of misdemeanor battery after allegedly spraying the AMC Burbank 16 patron when he became upset over their in-theater etiquette, Burbank Police Department Lt. Brent Fekety said. The spray affected two other moviegoers, who were treated for their irritation at a local hospital, according to Fekety.

Ware did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Sunday. It is unclear whether he has legal representation.

Online, the incident has become another flashpoint in the ongoing debate among die-hard moviegoers, for whom putting away a phone is a basic rule of theater etiquette.

Phone use in theaters has been a growing issue since pandemic restrictions were lifted. In recent years, as the box office rebounded into a Gen Z-driven boom, many moviegoers have lamented that the experience is now often tainted by fellow patrons’ full-volume conversations and persistent phone use.

Original source: https://www.nbcnews.com/business