The New Haven man accused of taking a gun to the new Batman movie says the charges against him are baseless, but the city’s police chief is  defending his officers’ decision.

Sung-Ho Hwang,  who is an immigration lawyer,  says the breach of peace and interfering with an officer charges against him threaten his second amendment rights. He says he lives in downtown New Haven,  and since the movie wouldn’t end until 1 a.m., he was carrying the gun to protect himself.

Hwang says he complied with police orders.

New Haven Police Chief Dean Esserman says police went to the theater because of calls from concerned citizens ,  He says charges were filed because Hwang ignored officers’ commands, and scuffled with police. He says the permit for the weapon was not the issue.  No gun charges were filed.

Twelve people were killed in a shooting at a theater in Aurora, Colorado, where the same movie was playing.