Windsor, Ont., woman 'shocked' by security guard for Straight Outta Compton

Angelina Ebegbuzie was "shocked" to see a security guard at a Windsor, Ont., movie theatre showing Straight Outta Compton Tuesday night.

"I noticed I saw security," said Ebegbuzie in an interview with CBC News Wednesday. "It's something I've never seen before for any movie.... So I was kind of shocked because I couldn't understand why in Windsor we'd have security for a movie."

The long-time Windsor resident asked a SilverCity Windsor employee why there was a security guard at the Walker Road movie theatre. Ebegbuzie said the employee told her: "We have it for more controversial type movies." When pressed further the staff member told her the guard was specifically there because of the screenings for the biopic about the iconic rap group, who hail from Compton, Calif.

Ebegbuzie, who owns Entice Salon and Supply, said she laughed in response.

"The laugh wasn't a real laugh. It was a laugh of 'I can't believe, why in this city, why would that stereotype be here in Windsor? We work so hard against that, or at least we assume that we try to, but that was very in your face that they had a security guard at SilverCity."

Earl Bailey, the operations manager for Paladin Security Guards in Windsor, confirmed the company had been asked "to help with support with the entire complex" for a week. He said the company had been asked to do security at other theatres in the past, but couldn't recall the details. Paladin Security has been at the theatre since Saturday and there have been no incidents, said Bailey on Wednesday.

Ebegbuzie said she thinks the added security is due to a misunderstanding about the influential rap group, which rose to fame in the mid-'80s. 

"I think they anticipated a very rough crowd, a crowd that follows that music, a crowd of violence because if you know the N.W.A. history that was always what they said -- that they incited violence," she said. "Which I always disagreed with. I think they just spoke the truth of what was going on and what they saw, but that was always what N.W.A. was attributed with."

Cineplex Entertainment runs the SilverCity movie chain, but a Cineplex spokesperson refused to comment, writing in an email that the company does not comment on security measures. 

CBC News has also reported about increased security at a Saskatoon screening of the same movie. 

In the U.S., Variety reported that Universal Pictures was offering to reimburse theaters for the costs of extra security for the opening weekend screenings of the biopic earlier this month. 

Universal Studios Canada did not immediately return a request for comment on whether it would be reimbursing theatres for security on this side of the border. 

Ebegbuzie said the incident won't stop her from going out to see movies at the theatre, or doing anything else she wants to do just because she might encounter stereotypes and racism. 

"I would just think that things like this could be a teachable moment to those who think race relations is ... great," she said. "This is something to let you know there are signs that stereotypes are still out there -- people are acting on these stereotypes and not to turn a blind eye to it."