"Melee in Chile seen as ‘big deal’" Law-enforcement authorities said the Chileans, who claimed to be in charge of security for the event, stopped Secret Service agent Nick Trotta as he was escorting Mr. Bush and first lady Laura Bush into the center, jumping in front of the agent as he approached the building entry. The authorities said the Chilean officers had seemed poised to act.
At least one Secret Service agent was shoved against a wall, the authorities said, as Mr. Trotta continued to push his way into the center. It was then that Mr. Bush responded, pushing into the crowd of angry security officials, pointing at Mr. Trotta and ordering that he be released. Mr. Bush finally reached over and grabbed the agent by the suit collar.
“He’s with me,” Mr. Bush said as he waded into the scuffle and pulled the agent through the crowd.
The authorities said the Chilean agents were shocked when they determined that the man pushing over them was Mr. Bush, who, they said, grabbed Mr. Trotta, adjusted his shirt cuffs and then winked at bystanders with the agent at his side.
La Cuarta, a Santiago newspaper, described Mr. Bush’s actions as a “total breach of protocol” and referred to him as “John Wayne … definitely acting like a cowboy.”
