So here's the story: I'm at a local bar. A section of the place is closed, but the main floor is pretty crowded, so I step just a few feet into the closed area to give myself some elbow room. I figure that if someone has a problem with it, they'll tell me and I'll move the three feet back into the main area. No need for it to be a big deal, right?
Well, within about 30 seconds, some meathead bouncer sees me and reacts like I've just made a bomb threat or something. Dude points at me, yells "You. Out" and then points toward the door. I paid for my beer, so I calmly tell him that I'll finish up my beer and be on my way and that the issue doesn't really need to go any further than that.
Well, the dude didn't like that response. He comes over and grabs my hand with the beer glass in it, forces me to pour the beer onto the floor, and then starts physically pushing me toward the door.
That got me thinking, this dude isn't a cop. Does he have any more right than any other person to put his hands on someone? I mean I'm pretty sure there isn't some special law written giving wage slaves at dive bars the powers usually reserved for police officers. In such a scenario, would a patron be legally justified in acting in self defense?