There's an argument for a fighting words exception, though, isn't there? Though I guess that would somewhat depend on the actions of the others present...did anyone actually get up to try to grab the guy (I've heard differing things...)
"There's an argument for a fighting words exception, though, isn't there?"
"Fighting words" is a very narrow exception, and the words really have to be out there. Otherwise, you run the risk of the heckler's veto problem - i.e. whenever someone says something you don't like, start getting unruly so you can accuse the speaker of using fighting words.