To think this woman was treated appallingly?

[ElephantsBird]

^Ms Parker, an animator, was celebrating her birthday with friends by going to see her favourite film, the The Good, The Bad and The Ugly.
But after people in the audience complained about her loud bouts of laughter, two security staff grabbed her in a "rough" way and escorted her out.^

Apparently a male member of the audience yelled at her to "shut the fuck up b" and when she said that she had Aspergers someone else said "no you're retarded".

Such despicable behaviour.How can people have such little humanity? How do we educate the public about Aspergers and autism?

Of course she was treated badly. Not sure this is much of an AIBU....

That's not actually what happened though according to multiple witnesses.

I have a thread about people making a noise in the cinema www.mumsnet.com/Talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/3236298-AIBU-to-ask-your-views-on-noise-in-the-cinema
Lots of people commented on this incident.

What did the other witnesses say happened Doug?

DougFargo what do these multiple witnesses say, and how do you know?

I read an article earlier where she was quoted herself as saying that she was shouting out things like "why are they laughing it wasn't funny?" and "shut up!" when other people laughed. Someone else said on twitter she was loudly shouting "whoop whoop!" at the start of the film.

I think you’re oversimplifying it. I read this woman’s own account of what happened earlier. Yes some complete knobhead told her “shut up, bitch” when she laughed loudly which is appalling. She then mimicked said knobhead the next time he laughed and told him to shut up. She then said loudly that it wasn’t THAT funny another time people laughed. It sounds very disruptive for people trying to watch the film, with the shouting back and forth. Not exactly an easy one for the BFI to deal with.

Seriously, I don't agree with people treating people with disabilities like that but sometimes they either have to accept that their behaviour is ruining it for other people and maybe find a more suitable arrangement or else put up with the odd stares etc. Its not fair on people trying to watch a movie if someone is shouting out inappropriate things regardless of whether they have special needs etc

Why didn't her friends intervene before it got out of hand?

Even if her behaviour was disturbing, I think the use of physical force isn't the best way of resolving the situation, unless all alternatives had been exhausted.

Wow! Poor woman - I read she Was asked to leave, not physically manhandled and verbally abused.

A lot of people complained when we were in the cinema and the drunk scary family rocked up to a kids film with loads of food and proceed to squak loudly, mess about with their phones, yell at the kids to go and buy them beer (then tell at them again when they can be empty handed because the bar wouldn't sell them beer - because they were kids) and kick the back of the chairs in front because the asked them to 'shhhhh'.

Noone from the cinema asked them to stfu or get out.

If you go somewhere like a cinema you have to conform to the required behaviour, as in sit down, put your phone on silent and away and shut the fuck up.

I'm sorry that she's disabled, but other people shouldn't have to allow for that by having an event ruined that they've paid good money to be at.

What kind of laughing is socially acceptable and who decides?

It’s such a shame things got out of hand but why didn’t her friends/ family take her to a quiet space to allow her time to compose herself or explain what was happening. A lot of cinemas do autism friendly showings.

People won't like this comment but sometimes us autistic people can be selfish too. Having a disability doesn't make us angels. She may have been fully aware that she was being too loud (especially after the first few shut ups she received letting her and her friends know!) and so may her friends/family but they all may have assumed the "but I'm autistic" would be enough to cover her behaviour and taken the more self centred view that she had paid to enjoy it so why shouldn't she and sod the rest of the people.

I do think sometimes people see autism and disability and assume naive, sweet, kind, angel, child like where it isn't necessarily always true!

I think she was treated appallingly. I watched the comments play out on Twitter before it became a news story. Apparently quite a few audience members walked out in solidarity and complained to the staff.
So, on balance, I don't think she could have been that disruptive. Because it usually takes a lot to unite strangers in taking a public stance about an issue especially when it involves inconveniencing themselves and missing the end of a film.

AlonsosLeftPinky So if streets are for walking down, should someone who can't walk go the f* away to use your lovely words?

A disability is a disability. Many people in the cinema complained about the way this lady was treated and also left in protest. Thank goodness for people with morals and empathy. The girl is autistic, if she seemed "rude" (I disagree with the word), that's why.

What is your excuse?

Do you take your kid out to places with adults and let them run around and make noise. That's incredibly annoying and considered (let's face it, fairly at times) socially unacceptable. Do you have them shut up in the way you suggest this young lady needs to? Or what if ou were with a special needs child or adult. Should they be excluded from society?

You should be thrown out for an attitude like that, your money is no good. You think this lady was unacceptable, but that you are? Beg to differ.

Allow me to present the Wittertainment Code of Conduct for Moviegoers.

Years ago I went to the theatre to watch 'fame' with 3 friends. within a couple of minutes of the play starting a strange noise started to happen, within 5 minutes everyone realised it was an autistic lady in the front rows. Once we realised what it was it had no impact at all on our enjoyment and it was very easy to accept it and focus on the actors.

However the people in the row behind us clearly had more of an issue with it and tutted throughout the first half. They stopped during the second half as we challenged them.

I do think things are getting better in the UK. There are more SN friendly performances but there is a fine line between inconsiderate noise levels and inclusion.

I find it ridiculous that a place full of parents to children, the very definition of inappropriately behaved, loud, messy, rude, attention seeking, throwing up just because they sense a museum/vegetable is nearby after crying solidly for the first one to thirty sixth months of their lives has members who are whining about a person with special needs.

Let ye whose child has not irritated, immensely and disrupted innocent bystanders cast the first stone.

Crickets