Ohio State Professor Suspended After Alleged Attack on Journalist Filming Ex-President
Shocking video footage has captured the moment an Ohio State University professor allegedly tackled a cameraman outside a lecture hall. The professor, identified as Luke Perez, was swiftly suspended after he lunged at documentarian Michael Neuman, who was attempting to interview former university president E Gordon Gee on Monday.
Violent Altercation Caught on Camera
Independent journalist DJ Byrnes filmed the entire altercation, and the video has since been viewed more than one million times. The footage shows the startling moment when Neuman was attacked while carrying his filming equipment. According to reports from the Columbus Dispatch, Perez stepped in front of Neuman to block his path as he approached the former president.
"No," the professor, wearing a bright red coat, is heard shouting in the video. Perez is then seen knocking the man's phone from his hand, punching at his head, and forcefully slamming him to the ground. The assistant professor towered over Neuman as he lay on the floor, shouting: "I told you not to put that in my face."
Journalists Seeking Interview on Serious Topics
The two independent reporters were at the college specifically to interview former OSU president E Gordon Gee. Before the attack, the freelancers were seeking to question Gee about several serious topics, including his staunch defense of Les Wexner, Ohio State's top donor, who reportedly had ties to Jeffrey Epstein.
Wexner is set to testify before Congress about his connections to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, though Gee insists he believes Wexner had no knowledge of Epstein's wrongdoing. As Byrnes interviewed Gee, he told ABC6 that Perez emerged and declared he didn't consent to being filmed.
"We didn't even know who he was and we weren't there for him," Byrnes said of the professor. "I would never say asking questions of public officials on public grounds is antagonizing. I think more questions should be asked."
Legal Action Demanded Following Incident
The documentarian has since retained legal counsel and is demanding action against Perez. "They're at a public university that's taxpayer funded," his lawyer, Rocky Ratliff, told ABC 6. "My client had never been given notice that he can't be in the buildings at Ohio State and I think all journalists are able to be there."
It remains unclear why the professor intervened, but Neuman's attorney says his client was merely asking the former president about student loan debt. "My client wants Perez prosecuted and terminated," Ratliff told the outlet. "This is not the actions of an admirable professor or someone who's professional. If the roles were reversed, he definitely would already be in jail."
University Response and Investigation
In a statement to media outlets, Ohio State University said: "We are aware of the incident, and it is very concerning. The faculty member involved has been placed on administrative leave pending a full OSUPD investigation and thorough review of the facts."
The incident occurred on the evening of February 9, with the faculty member placed on leave the following day. When asked for comment, Perez deferred to OSU's media relations team. The video has circulated widely on social media, drawing attention to the incident at the university's Chase Center for Civics, Culture, and Society, which claims to support free speech and open inquiry.
