Time Magazine photographer Chris Morris was covering a Donald Trump rally and he ended up being detained after getting into a physical struggle with a Secret Service agent.
Here’s video capturing the moment in question (via Instagram user Celeste Chorniak):
We took the original video from Instagram and zoomed into the area where the incident happened:
As he was being escorted out of the room, he said he was choked and that he “never touched” the agent until he tried to explain the agent choked him and “put my hand on him” to illustrate. That’s when, Morris said, he was arrested:
Just talked to @time magazine report Chris Morris. He says he was originally arrested but just detained. @ABC13News pic.twitter.com/QknmuAbifG
— Annie Andersen (@Annie_Andersen) February 29, 2016
Videos immediately emerged on Twitter showing parts of the scuffle:
This is how reporters are treated at Trump rallies pic.twitter.com/hMxuEoKVeG
— Gabby Morrongiello (@gabriellahope_) February 29, 2016
Here's moments prior. The reporter says "f*ck you" — that's when it got physical pic.twitter.com/h9K2wIbEWQ
— Joe Perticone (@JoePerticone) February 29, 2016
Reporter at Trump Rally accuses SS agent of choking him. pic.twitter.com/Q4oigVt3qf
— Jacqueline Alemany (@JaxAlemany) February 29, 2016
Secret Service agent choke slams reporter pic.twitter.com/jdsHOlylSB
— Joe Perticone (@JoePerticone) February 29, 2016
The Secret Service told CBS News it will talk to the agent involved. The Trump campaign issued this statement:
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
UPDATE –– 4:52 pm EST: The Secret Service put out this statement:
.@SecretService stmnt on agent's take down of TIME Magazine photographer Chris Morris at Trump event — pic.twitter.com/1EShmIyG9Q
— Steven Portnoy (@stevenportnoy) February 29, 2016
Time Magazine ran a report on the incident, confirming that Morris was choked and saying, “We are relieved that Chris is feeling OK, and we expect him to be back at work soon.”
[image via screengrab]
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Follow Josh Feldman on Twitter: @feldmaniac
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