Los Angeles movie theaters have banned people from wearing masks to see Star Wars

Several American chain cinemas have banned spectators from bringing accessories related to the plot of the film: blasters, lightsabers and other prop weapons to screenings of the seventh episode of Star Wars: The Force Awakens.

People wearing themed helmets, masks, with inscriptions and drawings on their faces dedicated to Star Wars will also not be allowed into the auditorium.

The reason for the prohibitions is the strengthening of security measures for viewers and cinema employees. Earlier, several resonant incidents of violence occurred at film premieres.

“Forum” has already reported that in July 2012, at the premiere of the Batman film “The Dark Knight Rises” in the city of Aurora (Colorado), James Holmes, whom the media dubbed the “Colorado shooter,” was wearing a gas mask, armed with two pistols, a rifle and shotgun, first sprayed gas and then opened fire by people. 12 people died, another 70 suffered. The version of Holmes’s mental illness was not confirmed during the investigation, the jury found him sane. 7 August 2015, he was sentenced to life imprisonment without the right to parole.

In July, 2015, a cinema visitor in the US city of Lafayette, Louisiana, opened fire during the session, after which he committed suicide. Two people were killed and 11 other spectators were injured. The incident occurred while watching the film “Girl Without Complexes.”

The premiere of the seventh episode of “Star Wars” will take place on December 14 in Los Angeles. The film will be released in wide release in the US and Canada on December 18.

The action of Jeffrey Jacob Abrams' film "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" takes place 30 years after the events of the sixth part of the epic. The film stars actors from George Lucas's original trilogy: Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher and Harrison Ford. The film also stars: Lupita Nyong'o, Andy Serkis, John Boyega, Daisy Ridley, Max von Sydow. Box office records are expected from the seventh episode.