An assistant police inspector in Komaki, Aichi Prefecture, has been arrested on suspicion of assaulting a male movie-goer at a theater.
According to Aichi prefectural police, Akinori Komoda, 53, who works in the community affairs division, grabbed the shoulders of a 34-year-old man and dragged him along the aisle in the theater at around 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Sankei Shimbun reported. Police said Komoda was off duty on Tuesday and repeatedly told the man to stop fiddling with his smartphone during the movie. The physical altercation ensued when the man ignored Komoda’s requests.
After the incident, the man called Komaki Police Station to file a complaint. Police said Komoda has partially denied the charge and quoted him as saying,“Although I did grab his shoulders, I did not drag him (inside the movie theater).”
© Japan Today
27 Comments
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rgcivilian1
Great that the officer stepped up, the cell phone has no business at the movie theatre. The place is for watching and enjoying a movie, not to talk or play video games. Take that garbage somewhere else. Hoorah for the officer.
ArtistAtLarge
Who can blame him? More people need to be confronted when they are being rude and thoughtless.
timeon
Give him a promotion
since1981
How does one "drag" a person "along the aisle" of a movie theater by "grabbing the shoulders" ? That would have to be a pretty good grip. Now, if the article said; grab the shoulders of the person and escorted him outside the theater, then that would have been more believable.
And finally, good for the police. Some people just have no respect for others. How you watch a movie in the comfort of your own home, do what you want but if you go in to watch a movie in public, put your phone away.
Ken Holcomb
Right. He was acting in the capacity of a normal person who is fed up with the absolute selfishness of some twit playing with his item of addiction to the detriment of other's movie going experience. I wouldn't be surprised to learn others in that theater were at least silently applauding this guy.
hooktrunk2
I think I probably would have complained to the theater staff. Easy to say from my arm chair though.
Joe Blow
I'm pretty sure it's now "assault" to look at someone with the stink eye.
since1981
i don’t believe him being a police has much to do with it. Anyone with a pair would’ve done the same thing. I know I would have, assume the guy ignored my polite requests.
thepersoniamnow
The right thing to do is to make a complaint about the person.
Assaulting them for being an rude nasty person is only going to get you arrested. It’s also quite dangerous and a stupid thing to do as others can get hurt, and you yourself can get stabbed or injured.
Saw this countless times working security when I was in my 20s.
The guy who loses his temper and lashes out is 90% going to be blamed for that too, as it’s not illegal to be rude or bothersome, but it is to lay your hands on people.
People are giving kudos to this cop?? Really? He sounds like a loose cannon to me.
since1981
And forgot to add, in Japan "assault" is when you make physical contact, even the lightest touch so again, "assault"?
half-hearted jumper
You've just described an assault, then said you're okay with it. SMH.
Toshihiro
I wouldn't be surprised if this police officer has anger and frustration issues in his service record. I agree that fellow movie goers tend to ruin one's watching experience in the big screen, but you'd have to be shallow enough to led that get under your skin and assault someone for it.
tokyoforever
Bad move and example on all accounts. Should have asked the theater staff to take care of the situation.
talaraedokko
There must be more to the story than just looking at his phone.
ohara
Well done! Good for the cop!
pudus
"since1981
"And forgot to add, in Japan "assault" is when you make physical contact, even the lightest touch so again, "assault"?"
I I had a jn bump into me real hard on purpose and the flops did not do anything... in Japan.
El Rata
Well if he was going to be charged with assault anyway, he should've given the rude phone fiddler a proper one.
garypen
For those people saying he should have notified theater management, do that they could take care of the rude a-hole:
You know this is Japan, right? Have you ever seen an employee berate a customer and ask them to stop doing something? TIJ. Customer is king, emperor, and shogun all wrapped up in one.
half-hearted jumper
You're fine with assault? SMH. Relax, people.
rgcivilian1
above posters he was not operating in a professional capacity"
I would have done the same thing as the officer. Rude behavior will not be tolerated at the movies by phone users. Go somewhere else, this is not the place nor the time. Where are the manners in Japan that everyone talks about? I will be calling Komaki Police Station on behalf of the officer. He should be commended for keeping the peace and tranquility of Japan not punished for it. Harmony is what is taught in schools. Sorry but phones in movies is not harmony.
Kobe White Bar Owner
““Although I did grab his shoulders, I did not drag him (inside the movie theater).”
wouldnt it be nice if taking responsibility for ones actions was seen as a sign of maturity instead of sticking your head in the sand and denying until your blue in the face.
3RENSHO
"...repeatedly told the man to stop fiddling with his smartphone during the movie."
A lot hinges on the definition of 'fiddling'; if he were playing a video game is one thing -- but what if he was using his smartphone as a resource to search for information about the movie? Does searching for iinformation deserve a beating?
Mark
Very Rude to be fiddling , should have just SLAPPED on the face, then took his phone away, and then dragged him along the aisle.
Mocheake
What a drag! Maybe the cell phone was loud and the cop copped an attitude. If that was the case, then the other guy has to shoulder some of the blame too.
saitamaboy
above posters he was not operating in a professional capacity