Pepper spray confrontation at AMC reignites frustration over phone use in theaters, tell me about this news in (https://www.nbcnews.com/pop-culture/pop-culture-news/amc-burbank-pepper-spray-confrontation-moviegoer-debate-online-rcna598856)
21-09-2026
The incident occurred at the AMC Burbank 16 movie theater in Burbank, California.
During a screening, a confrontation broke out between two patrons over cellphone use. According to witnesses and police reports, 34-year-old Matthew Ware approached a fellow moviegoer who was looking at a phone and demanded that they put it away. When the patron did not comply, the altercation quickly escalated: Ware pulled out pepper spray and sprayed the moviegoer directly in the face.
Ware then fled the auditorium. Because pepper spray disperses easily in an enclosed, air-conditioned theater, the fumes affected multiple people in the audience. The primary victim and two nearby moviegoers required medical attention and hospital evaluation for severe eye and respiratory irritation. Police responded to the scene, located Ware, and arrested him on misdemeanor battery charges.
The story quickly went viral, reigniting a fierce online debate regarding movie theater etiquette:
Frustration with phone etiquette: A large segment of the reaction reflected mounting audience fatigue over antisocial behavior in cinemas. Many online commenters voiced anger over frequent distractionssuch as bright screens, texting, filming, and loud talkingand criticized theater chains like AMC for rarely having ushers or staff actively monitoring theaters to enforce etiquette rules.
Condemnation of vigilante violence: At the same time, commentators and authorities strongly condemned the act, pointing out that weaponizing pepper spray in a crowded, enclosed public space is reckless, dangerous, and illegal. Discharging an irritant inside an auditorium endangers innocent bystanders, children, and people with respiratory conditions like asthma.
Overall, the confrontation highlighted the sharp divide between widespread, simmering irritation over declining theater manners and the dangerous extremes that can occur when patrons attempt to take enforcement into their own hands rather than involving theater management.