Overview
- Police say Matthew Ware allegedly pepper-sprayed a fellow moviegoer who refused to turn off a phone about 30–40 minutes into a screening of The Uprising on Tuesday, Sept. 15.
- Burbank officers arrested the 34-year-old in the theater lobby and online jail records show he was booked on suspicion of misdemeanor battery and released the next morning.
- At least two other patrons suffered irritation from the spray and were treated at a local hospital, and AMC offered refunds to everyone who attended the showing.
- A witness posted photos and an account to Reddit, X and Instagram that circulated widely and drove a polarized online debate over whether enforcing theater etiquette can justify physical action.
- The episode underscores mounting frustration over phone use in theaters since the pandemic and could lead chains and venues to rethink how they enforce rules and protect patrons.