Are you safe in your local cineplex? One mom was so concerned about a man with a backpack in a Cinemark theater that she reached out to social media after she was told the theater chain no longer searches bags.
On July 20, 2012 a midnight screening of The Dark Knight Rises in Aurora, Colorado became the scene of a mass shooting that killed 12 people and injured 70 others. According to PBS, the event was the deadliest shooting by a lone perpetrator in the history of Colorado.
The event triggered a spate of safety and security measures in response. Shortly afterward “The National Association of Theater Owners said in a statement Friday that its members are now ‘working closely with local law enforcement agencies and reviewing security procedures,'” according to Fox News.
However, security seemed lax at the Cinemark theater attended by vlogger mom Danae (@diz_beach_) who took to TikTok to discuss her concerns about a man with a large backpack she claims to have noticed while attending a showing of the movie Imaginary.
The video was posted 5 days ago and has since picked up 25,000 views, many from concerned would-be theatergoers who left comments of their own.
“As we’re sitting in our seats, I kind of noticed that the guy in front of me was behaving oddly,” she says in the video. “He just seemed kind of agitated, he was doing a lot of things with his hands; he was kind of hitting himself in the head.
“I noticed he had a big backpack sitting next to him… so at this point, I start to get uncomfortable,” she told her viewers.
Danae claims that at this point she took her daughter into the lobby and asked an employee if the theater checked bags.
“And she’s like, no, we don’t check bags anymore,” Danae claims.
In February of 2018, Cinemark began a new policy regarding large bags. “Both movie guests and employees are no longer allowed to bring in bags or packages larger than “12” x “12” x “6” inches. The theater signage also states that the company reserves the right to inspect all bags and packages entering its theaters,” CBS News reported.
However, a link to the Cinemark website page discussing the policy appears to have been removed. The current policies page on the website only addresses costume, coupon, and outside food and drink policies and does not address bag checks or prohibitions.
The Daily Dot has reached out to Cinemark for a statement.
Danae claims that the cashier at the theater informed her that employees are no longer able to search bags per a “new policy.” She then says that she talked to the theater manager. She claims the manager confirmed the chain’s “new policy.”
Danae also claims the manager told her, “if you’re uncomfortable we can just give you a refund.”
“I’m not trying to leave I just don’t want to [expletive] die,” she tells her viewers. “What happened to ‘see something say something’?”
Danae ended up returning to her husband in the theater by which time she claims the man in question had left. However, she remains concerned about the “new policy” regarding bags.
@diz_beach_ Also my issue is not with him having a bag, i went to ask because if she had told me they checked backpacks i wouldve felt 100 percent safe. But allowing backpacks and not checking bags makes me extremely uncomfy. #fypシ #cinemark ♬ original sound – Danae
Many of her viewers agreed that the security policy was lax. However, some commented that her stance could be perceived as ableist.
“Having a son on the spectrum, who gets agitated, verbally & physically stims, but enjoys movies.. this makes me sad & scared for his adult years,” wrote Sam (@samomtha_).
One viewer noted, “It was probably a bag of things that help him with his disability. My son has to have certain things to keep him happy.”
“Yes, let’s include the movie theater that didn’t force a person that was most likely disabled to either leave or empty their bag in front of everyone for their symptoms,” another viewer added.
In the video, after describing the alleged man’s agitated symptoms, Danae states, “People have mental illnesses … I’m not one to discriminate.”
Age (@agelovesicedcoffee) wrote, “I’m 28 and honestly have never once had my bag checked in a movie theatre. Even now, having a disabled child & having to take a larger bag in w me, they’ve still never checked.”
Others found Danae’s concerns very reasonable.
“As someone who ISNT afraid of sh00tings or gnus, I still think at the least having a metal detector people have to walk through is completely reasonable,” one commented.
“I’ve honestly never been to a theater that has checked bags, but I completely understand your concerns,” Ash (@bigolekitties) wrote.
“With all the tragedies all over the news why would they make a policy like that? We not safe at school, stores, church, movies..nowhere,” another viewer added.
The Daily Dot has reached out to Danae via email for further comment.