Melissa Click, the crazed communications professor from the University of Missouri who became a viral embarrassment to the university after assaulting a student photojournalist trying to video record a protest in November, was charged today with third-degree assault. Click continues to hold a position at the university, though a group of 100 Republican state lawmakers in December called for her removal, the Kansas City Star reported. In addition to calling for muscle to deal with the photojournalists, Click was also caught grabbing a reporters camera and helping to organize the human circle that kept journalists out of the campus quad. Click is still employed by the university.
Advertisement
A Missouri college professor who had an infamous run-in with a journalist during a protest is now facing charges.
The charge, filed city prosecutor Steve Richey, was filed following Click’s run in during a student rally, where she tried to instigate violence by calling for “muscle” to remove videographer Mark Schierbecker from the area.
University of Missouri turmoil was voted a top story in Missouri in 2015.
The campus protests began over perceived racial issues at the University of Missouri.
A university spokesman and Click did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the charge.
Click will be issued a summons to appear and given a court date, the Columbia, Missouri, city prosecutor’s office said.
“Dr. Click is frankly aggrieved by this situation”, said Foley, explaining she acted in a moment of anger.
Video of Melissa Click’s confrontation with photographer.
Advertisement
“Curators and trustees were quite arbitrary and if they didn’t like a professor or a professor’s work they could turn on them and actually have them removed from their jobs”, Foley said of prior practice. I don’t see how they could refuse to consider this, but given the contemporary university scene, who knows? David Steelman said the school placed a letter admonishment in Click’s employment file over the matter, but that doesn’t satisfy him. “It seems like there are a lot of little scuffles and shoving in this country that don’t lead to the involvement of the criminal justice system”.
