Sibrel lured Buzz to the hotel under false pretenses (lied to him and set him up).

Buzz attempted to walk away and Sibrel got in his way... even following him into the street, blocking his path and harrassing him.

A hotel employee got between them and told Sibrel to go away and leave Buzz alone. Sibrel did not.

Buzz attempted to go back into the hotel and Sibrel again blocked his path, continued his verbal harrassment and (according to at least one account) thrust a Bible at Buzz, striking him with it.

Sibrel is younger, taller and heavier than Buzz, presenting a very noticeable physical threat.

All of this easily meets the legal definition of assault. If Sibrel did strike Buzz with the Bible, it becomes battery.

Buzz had every reason and legal defense to strike Sibrel. Words had failed to keep Sibrel away, a second party had failed to keep him away, Buzz was not allowed to simply walk away, and he felt a physical threat to himself and his niece.

This isn't a macho thing. It's understandable and defensible.

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Never attribute to malice what can be adequately explained by ignorance or stupidity.
Isaac Asimov