Athens police crackdown on kids watching new ‘Joker’ movie

Greek police announced they raided two screenings of the new ‘Joker’ film in Athens after officials from the country’s Ministry of Culture reported a large number of underage children were watching the R-rated movie in the Greek capital.

Officers attended two cinemas in the city centre on the same night, removing a total of 19 minors, four of which were watching the film with parents or adult guardians.

The film, which stars Joaquin Phoenix is a psychological thriller directed by Todd Phillips and tells the story of Batman’s nemesis Joker. It is rated R due to "strong bloody violence, disturbing behaviour, language, and brief sexual images."

The arrests made national news after it emerged that a 2010 law could impose 10,000 euro fines on the cinema employees that admitted minors into the screening.

Greece’s Minister of Culture, Lina Mendoni, has since given a press conference, in which she criticised the officials who had called the police.

She confirmed that both the officials were employees of the Ministry and permitted to ensure staff was carrying out ID checks, but that calling the police was “a long way off”.

“I admit that I am bothered by the repression of underage children and their families,” she added.