By legal definition when you throw something at someone and it hits them that is assault. Period.
There was, as a matter of fact, by witness sworn statement, and on video, legally an assault. Period
Not so —
He took the bag of popcorn from him and when he whined “hey that’s mine give it back to me” — he threw it back to him.
It’s not his fault that he couldn’t catch it when it was thrown to him.
So where is the physical assault in that???