U.S. Secret Service agent tussles with media at Donald Trump rally
Donald Trump's Radford, Virginia rally on Monday turned chaotic, with protesters interrupting the Republican front-runner's speech and a U.S. Secret Service agent at the event tussling with a member of the media.
A group of about 30 to 40 Black Lives Matter protesters repeatedly interrupted Trump's remarks, chanting, "No more hate, no more hate, let's be equal let's be great." As members of the press attempted to document the commotion, photographer Christopher Morris was caught in a confrontation with a member of the Secret Service. Morris claimed the agent grabbed him by the neck as he tried to get a better shot of the protesters by stepping outside of the designated "press pen."
Reporter at Trump Rally accuses SS agent of choking him. pic.twitter.com/Q4oigVt3qf
— Jacqueline Alemany (@JaxAlemany) February 29, 2016
Morris told CBS News that the agent first demanded that he return to the pen. Morris refused, telling the agent, "F**k you." That's when the agent allegedly grabbed him by the neck and threw him to the ground.
After he stood up, Morris tried to get the attention of a Trump staffer. He told CBS that he erred in laying his own hands on the agent, while trying to demonstrate how the agent had choked him. Morris said he did not grab the agent not forcefully.
Morris was quickly surrounded by officers, dragged outside and detained briefly, but he was not arrested. He told CBS News he does not plan to press charges against the Secret Service agent.
The Secret Service intends to speak to the agent involved and is currently reviewing the incident, CBS News confirms. The agency said its local field office is working with their law enforcement partners to determine the exact circumstances that led up to the incident.
The Trump campaign said in a statement, "We are not aware of all details surrounding the incident and all future inquiries should be directed to local law enforcement."
Meanwhile, during the rally, Trump urged security to escort out the protesters, which they did. "He just got on television, he's happy," Trump said as a protester was taken out of the rally.
"Remember Bernie Sanders, the two young girls took the microphone away?" Trump said, referencing a Sanders rally last year interrupted by Black Lives Matter protesters. "That's not happening here. Disgusting."
After another protester interrupted Trump, the candidate mockingly asked, "Are you from Mexico? Are you from Mexico?....All right, darling, if you want, you can stay and hear the end of the story, because you know what? You're moving back to the United States."
Interrupted at least five times, Trump repeatedly said into his microphone, "Get 'em out, get 'em out."
The chaotic rally comes just one day before the primary in Virginia, where according to polls, Trump has a large lead.