The University of Missouri's journalism school praised student journalist Tim Tai in a statement released Tuesday for his actions during a confrontation with protesters on campus, which was recorded and shared on the Internet. Melissa Click, an assistant professor at UM in the Department of Communication, however, has come under fire for her behavior during the event, which was also caught on video, according to USA Today.
It all started due to Tai's presence at the protest, where he attempted to take pictures and document for ESPN. However, he was met with some resistance from Click, who is now under fire from the school for her attempts to prevent Tai from covering the event and remove him from the scene of the Concerned Student 1950 protest.
"The First Amendment protects your right to be here and mine," Tai can be seen telling a protester in the video. The video then shows Click asking for "muscle" to remove the journalist from the protest. "Who wants to help me get this reporter out of here?" she asked. "I need some muscle over here," according to The Washington Post.
Click has since issued a statement regarding the event. "Yesterday was an historic day at MU - full of emotion and confusion. I have reviewed and reflected upon the video of me that is circulating, and have written this statement to offer both apology and context for my actions. I have reached out to the journalists involved to offer my sincere apologies and to express regret over my actions. I regret the language and strategies I used, and sincerely apologize to the MU campus community, and journalists at large, for my behavior, and also for the way my actions have shifted attention away from the students' campaign for justice," she stated, according to the Columbia Missourian.
Click also reportedly tried to grab student-journalist Mark Schierbecker and get him to help her remove reporters.
"She continued to verbally harass me from the sidelines (of the protest)," Schierbecker told USA Today. "What I saw coming from her seemed to be the worst kind of abuse I saw that day. To later find out that it was coming from a faculty member...directing people on her behalf to do violent things to students...we can't have that."
Click has since resigned her courtesy appointment with the Missouri School of Journalism.
