'Spiderman' Villain Rhys Ifans Arrested at Comic-Con

Maybe portraying a villain brings out the volatile and violent side of any man. "The Amazing Spider-Man" actor Rhys Ifans was arrested over the weekend at Comic-Con in San Diego. The Comic-Con arrest followed an incident involving Ifans, a member of his entourage, and a security guard at the San Diego event.
Ifans plays the role of The Lizard, a supervillain in the upcoming "Spider-Man" movie.
A member of his entourage was denied access to a presentation, and Ifans became upset. Eventually, he ended up shoving a security guard, reports USA Today.
The security guard then made a citizen's arrest, and San Diego police gave the actor a citation for misdemeanor battery, USA Today reports.
Generally, only law enforcement officers can lawfully arrest someone or place someone under arrest. A security guard might not have the power to arrest someone under the law. They might, however, be able to conduct a lawful citizen's arrest, like in this situation.
A private individual can conduct a citizen's arrest under limited circumstances. Citizen's arrests can occur if the arresting individual reasonably suspects someone has committed a felony. Alternatively, a private individual can also make a citizen's arrest for a misdemeanor if the misdemeanor involves a breach of peace.
If the misdemeanor involves a breach of peace, the arresting individual must have personally witnessed the behavior, and the breach must have just occurred or there is a strong likelihood that the breach might still continue.
In Ifans' case, the security guard witnessed Ifans' breach of peace. And, she was a witness to the events as she was the one who eventually got shoved by the actor.
However, while Rhys Ifans was arrested and cited, citizens should be aware of the risks in making a citizen's arrests before trying it out themselves. If the arrest is not properly justified, there may be civil liabilities for the arresting individual. As a result, while the Comic-Con arrest was likely justifiable given the situation, individuals should still try to be cautious when making an arrest themselves.
Related Resources:
- 'Spider-Man' Villain Cited in Comic-Con Scuffle (New York Times)
- Citizen's Arrest (FindLaw)
- When Can You Conduct a Citizen's Arrest? (FindLaw Blotter)
- Nicky Hilton Makes Citizen's Arrest of Man Outside IHOP; Can She Do That? (FindLaw's Common Law)