The Regal Kiln Creek Stadium movie theater in Newport News recently taped fliers with a new security policy to its ticket counter: “Backpacks and bags of any kind are subject to inspection prior to entry to this facility.”
The theater belongs to the Regal Entertainment Group, a nationwide chain with about 570 theaters. All Regal theaters adopted the same admission procedures in the wake of several theater shootings across the country, according to The Associated Press.
On its website, Regal stated the policy was “not without flaws” and would inconvenience some customers — all in the hope for heightened safety.
The manager of the Newport News theater declined to comment on the new procedure or state when it went into effect.
The new policy has drawn mixed reactions from movie-goers.
“I think [the policy] is a little excessive” because of its encroachment on people’s privacy, said Tifany Johnson as she prepared to see a movie at the theater on Thursday.
Johnson recommended implementing metal detectors, which she believed would be more effective and less invasive. She also suggested that checking bags was more preventative of people bringing in outside food or drink than bringing in weapons.
Gerry Flynn, another movie-goer on Thursday, thought checking bags was a good idea after the recent shootings in movie theaters. He advocated for more security measures, such as on-site police officers and metal detectors.
