Group of men trespassed from Dunedin cinema over Islamic State joke

A group of Auckland men were trespassed from a Dunedin cinema yesterday after one of them flaunted cash while claiming 'Isis pays well.' Photo / Google Maps

A group of Auckland men were trespassed from a Dunedin cinema yesterday after one of them flaunted cash while claiming "Isis pays well".

Senior Sergeant Craig Dinnissen, of Dunedin, said four men in their late 20s on holiday from Auckland were "causing anxiety" at Rialto Cinemas yesterday evening.

One of the men showed a wad of money to his friends and claimed Isis, the international terrorist organisation, paid well.

Police were called and officers trespassed the men.

The offender later said it was a joke.

Sr Sgt Dinnissen said the men had clearly aggravated or antagonised other people in the cinema.

"With the current environment, there's only so much stupidity you can tolerate."

Locals took to social media to vent their views over the incident, which sparked mixed reviews.

"A pretty inappropriate joke, not funny at all... and yes, I do have a sense of humour," one person said.

Another questioned why police needed to be involved.

"Do we really need the police involved in bad comedy, it is pathetic," another said.

"They should have just been asked to leave....don't think the police needed to be involved."

Police said no further action was taken.

Isis is also the name of the rehabilitation centre at Wakari Hospital in Dunedin.

ISIS - standing for 1 Site 1 Service - is one of the acronyms by which the group is known.