A social media trend could have been the reason: in cinemas in Bremen and Essen, there are scuffles and riots among the viewers. The police have to move in, the operators cancel the performances.
Several visitors rioted in a cinema in Essen and Bremen on Saturday evening and provoked the cancellation of the film screening. According to a police report, some spectators among the approximately 440 visitors "rioted" during the performance in a large cinema complex in Essen. Snacks were thrown around the room, and some of the provocateurs climbed over the seats.
The operators canceled the performance. Several patrol car crews could have persuaded around 40 people to leave the cinema who had previously stubbornly refused, it said. According to the police, there were no criminally relevant actions.
The police pointed out that a negative social media trend could have been the reason for the action. Accordingly, "budding social media stars" and "would-be influencers", as the statement said, could disrupt events through targeted actions in order to generate attention on social media. The injured parties could assert claims for damages under civil law against the disturbers.
In a cinema in Bremen, there had also been scuffles and riots between young visitors. Those involved initially threw popcorn and nachos at each other on Saturday, the police said. Then there were fisticuffs inside and outside the cinema. According to initial findings, no one was injured. The cinema showings have ended. There had already been a dispute in the cinema on Friday evening. That evening, 15 to 20 people got into a fight over occupied seats. The police arrested three alleged perpetrators, aged 16 and 17, for the time being.
