An Ohio State University professor has been placed on administrative leave after physically confronting a cameraman who was attempting to film E. Gordon Gee at an academic building. Luke M. Perez, an assistant professor at the Salmon P. Chase Center for Civics, Culture and Society, was suspended on Feb. 10 following the incident that occurred on Feb. 9 at Smith Lab.

The confrontation happened after Perez's class featuring Gee as a guest lecturer. Local blogger DJ Byrnes and an unnamed cameraman waited to question Gee about his involvement in the Dr. Richard Strauss sexual abuse case, Jeffrey Epstein, and his decision to privatize OSU's parking lots. Video shows Perez blocking the cameraman's path, knocking a phone from his hand, swinging at his head, and tackling him to the ground.

The incident has sparked criticism from both faculty and state legislators. The university's American Association of University Professors chapter called it a violation of the Chase Center's stated mission of promoting free speech and civil discourse. State Senator Bill DeMora described Perez's actions as "ironic" given the center's mission statement and called for protection of journalists' First Amendment rights.