Just a few weeks ago, the wife and I were in an AMC theater in Brandon, FL. During the movie, a 6'-6" bald-headed bouncer type was sitting two rows down from us, and he started e-mailing, texting, or surfing the internet during the movie. His screen was very bright and distracting to me. So, I did the only thing I knew to do: I started throwing popcorn at the back of his head. After a few hits, he turned around, but the theater was crowded and he didn't know where it was coming from.
My wife almost had a cow, thinking he was gonna eviscerate me.
But I had my story all planned out in case he called me on it. I was going to tell him, "Hey, I really did you a favor. I had two choices: 1), get you to stop without a confrontation, or 2) go complain to management. The popcorn was non-buttered and it did not injure you, and you didn't get tossed out."
I figured I'm old enough that he would have mercy on an old man and not beat me up. But by the end of the movie, he had forgotten about it, and I just waltzed right by him on the way out with no incident.
No matter how you cut it...It’s still assault.
I have gone to management and had people removed for texting. And I always ask for my money back when I do that.