Police arrested a man after he caused mass panic at the Grand Rex cinema in Paris during a showing of Joker by shouting, “Allahu akbar!”
The director of the movie theater told the Hollywood Reporter on Monday that the incident was an attempt by two men to clear the movie theater so they could steal people’s belongings.
“They were two thieves looking for a way to take people’s phones and bags. Apparently, they had already used the same tactic once on a train,” he said.
The 34-year-old suspect started saying “it’s political” during the Sunday night showing of the movie before he stood up and shouted the Arabic phrase for “God is great” and started mumbling in the language.
“It was total panic,” a viewer identified as Victor said about what ensued. “People jumped over seats and women fell to the ground in the aisles.”
A security guard and several audience members tackled the man as he tried to leave, although he got away before the police eventually arrested him near the theater.
The management at the movie theater said they plan to press charges against the man.
