Ohio State professor cameraman Gordon Gee on vacation after filming

This story has been updated to correct the spelling of DJ Byrnes’ last name.

A professor at Ohio State University was found inside the academic building by E. A cameraman who tried to film Gordon Gee has been suspended after being suspended.

Ohio State Salmon P. Luke M., associate professor with the Chase Center for Civics, Culture and Society. Perez was placed on administrative leave on Feb. 10 “pending a full review of the entire OSUPD investigation and facts,” OSU spokesman Ben Johnson said in a statement.

“We are aware of the incident, and it is very concerning,” Johnson said.

A professor at the Chase Center manages to film Gee

The incident in question occurred on the evening of February 9 in Smith Lab after one of Perez’s classes, Profiles in American Leadership. The class includes a series of guest lecturers, and Gee — a former two-time Ohio State president who currently serves as a consultant for the Chase Center — was the speaker for that class session.

DJ Byrnes, a writer for “The Rooster” newspaper, a local left-leaning blogger and an unnamed cameraman were waiting after class to ask G questions. According to Byrnes’ retelling of events in his February 11 newsletter, Gee preferred to answer questions in the hallway “rather than being followed in his car.” Dr. Byrnes Asked Gee about the Richard Strauss sexual assault case, his role in Jeffrey Epstein and his decision to privatize OSU’s parking lots.

After their interview, the cameraman — who Byrnes said in his newsletter didn’t work for him but was with him as “two freelance creators working in concert” — wanted to ask Gee a question.

Perez stepped in front of the cameraman to block his path. According to a recorded video of the incident, the cameraman took a step back and did not touch Perez. Within seconds, Perez grabbed the cell phone from the man’s hand, swung it over his head and tackled him to the ground.

Perez stood over the cameraman and said, “I told you not to get in my face.” When the man stood up, Perez said the cameraman grabbed him and “shoved the camera in my face.”

Byrnes and the cameraman filed a police report with the Ohio State Police Department, which the Dispatch requested. The Dispatch has reached out to Byrnes for comment.

When reached for comment, Perez directed media requests to university spokespeople.

Faculty, state senator calls out Perez’s actions

The Chase Center was mandated by the state’s General Assembly in 2023. Senate Bill 117 created new independent academic centers to promote “intellectual diversity” at public universities in five states, including Ohio State. In addition to offering courses related to civic thought and leadership, Chase Center Executive Director Lee Strang previously said the center offers a university-wide program related to the values ​​of free speech and civil debate.

Ohio State’s American Association of University Professors chapter said in a statement that the incident was contrary to the center’s stated mission.

“Based on what we now know, this incident is a stark illustration of a larger problem — the way the Chase Center and other so-called ‘intellectual diversity’ centers are forced and unnecessarily imposed on Ohio universities,” the statement said. “Unfortunately, this attack — and the shameful actions surrounding it — make it clear that these centers are not really about encouraging civil discourse and intellectual diversity. AAUP-OSU stands for free speech for everyone on campus, not just for the ideas politicians want to promote.”

Sen. Bill DeMora (D-Columbus) shared the sentiment in a press release, saying he found the incident “ironic.”

“The irony is that the Chase Center, where the attacking faculty member works, claims to be a center for citizens, culture and society that cultivates a free society through open research and excellent scholarship,” his words, not mine, DeMora said.

Demora described Perez’s conduct as a “truly cowardly act of attacking someone with both hands full” and called on individuals to protect journalists’ First Amendment rights to free speech.

“We have to fight for our First Amendment rights,” he said. “If we stand by and watch, we lose that right.”

Higher education reporter Sheridan Hendrix can be reached at shendrix@dispatch.com and at Signal at @sheridan.120. You can follow her on Instagram at @sheridanwrites.

This article originally appeared in the Columbus Dispatch: Ohio State professor Gordon Gee was suspended after the man who was filming was suspended