After stepping out of the designated press area at a Trump rally in Radford, Virginia to take photographs of people protesting the event, Christopher Morris of Time got into an altercation with a Secret Service agent.
The dispute turned violent when Morris bumped up against and said "f*ck you" to the agent, who then grabbed the photographer by the neck and slammed him onto the nearby table.
this new angle clearly shows photog getting choke-slammed at Trump rally https://t.co/XxKoeRb8zx pic.twitter.com/t2Rh656hEE
— Sam Biddle (@samfbiddle) February 29, 2016
After getting up, Morris can be seen putting his hand on the agent's neck, which he said was a demonstration to show what had been done to him.
"I said 'he choked me,' so I put hand on him and that's when I was arrested," he told reporters while being escorted out of the event.
Secret Service agent choke slams reporter pic.twitter.com/jdsHOlylSB
— Joe Perticone (@JoePerticone) February 29, 2016
Morris said he would not press criminal charges against the agent, according to Vice News.
A statement from the Trump campaign directed reporters to ask questions to law enforcement, saying that they are not aware of "all details surrounding the incident."
>Trump campaign statement on altercation between photographer and Secret Service agent in press pen at event in VA. pic.twitter.com/oiG3vw8EhL
— Sopan Deb (@SopanDeb) February 29, 2016
The scuffle came amid repeated disruptions of the rally by pro-immigration protesters and Black Lives Matter activists.
Trump himself took the incidents in stride, saying "isn't it fun being at a Trump rally?" as groups of protesters were ejected from the premises.
The Secret Service released a statement on the altercation, saying that they are working to determine the details of the incident.
Secret Service statement on the altercation today with a photographer. pic.twitter.com/nRql6nV1tJ
— Olivier Knox (@OKnox) February 29, 2016
This man is single handedly turning the American political machine into a laughing stock.
I don't know, maybe that's a good thing at this point. He is really showcasing some of the worst aspects of American culture.