It’s legal to drink beer in German movie theaters — but it’s probably not a good idea to try to open your beer bottle with a pepper spray canister.

However, that’s exactly what a thirsty moviegoer tried doing at a cinema one Monday night in the northwestern German town of Osnabrueck.

Instead of opening his beer, the 29-year-old man broke his pepper spray container and some 200 people had to quickly leave the theater in tears.

The cinema’s manager told the German news agency DPA that it was “chaos.” Still, he kept his head, calling police, offering beverages to moviegoers and opening the windows. He says the movie was restarted after 30 minutes.

Police say so far no moviegoers have complained about eye or breathing problems.


Pepper-Spraying People at Chuck E. Cheese’s

Authorities say a woman accused of pepper-spraying patrons at a Chuck E. Cheese’s in Louisiana has been arrested.

Nola.com/The Times-Picayune reports a deputy working a security detail was at the front of the Metairie Chuck E. Cheese’s restaurant one Sunday when someone notified him about an argument that was getting out of hand. The deputy spotted the woman “indiscriminately spraying pepper spray,” endangering both  adults and children. Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office spokesman Lt. Jason Rivarde says paramedics treated five adults and two children for exposure at the scene.

Police arrested 24-year-old Katarian Marshall and charged her with disturbing the peace by fighting. It’s unclear if she has a lawyer.