Ohio State Professor Suspended After Alleged Attack on Journalist

Footage shows confrontation between professor and cameraman outside university building

Published on Feb. 12, 2026

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

An Ohio State professor named Luke Perez has been suspended after allegedly attacking a journalist who was trying to interview the university's former president. Video footage shows Perez confronting the journalist, Michael Neuman, and physically assaulting him in a hallway outside the Salmon P. Chase Center for Civics, Culture, and Society.

Why it matters

The incident raises concerns about free speech and press freedom on college campuses, especially at public institutions like Ohio State that are required to promote intellectual diversity. The alleged assault also highlights tensions between university staff and journalists trying to hold administrators accountable.

The details

According to the footage, Perez, an assistant professor, was talking to two freelance reporters when Neuman, a documentarian, tried to walk past him. Perez then allegedly snatched at Neuman's phone, grabbed him, and dropped him to the floor. Neuman and the other journalist, D.J. Byrnes, say Perez attacked Neuman after he tried to question former Ohio State president E. Gordon Gee about controversial comments he had made.

  • The incident occurred on February 9, 2026.
  • Perez was placed on paid administrative leave on February 11, 2026.

The players

Luke Perez

An assistant professor in the Salmon P. Chase Center for Civics, Culture, and Society at Ohio State University. Perez is a 12-year veteran of the Air National Guard.

Michael Neuman

A documentarian who was trying to interview former Ohio State president E. Gordon Gee when the alleged assault occurred.

D.J. Byrnes

A journalist who runs the newsletter The Rooster and captured the confrontation on video.

E. Gordon Gee

The former president of Ohio State University, who was a guest speaker in Perez's class when the incident occurred.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“I told you not to put that in my face. Now, I'm not gonna ask you again don't touch me”

— Luke Perez, Assistant Professor (The Rooster* via Storyful)

“I didn't touch you motherfucker, who the fuck are you”

— Michael Neuman, Documentarian (The Rooster* via Storyful)

“That's a lawsuit for sure. Are you fucking kidding me. He hits like a bitch too. Sucker punching me and he can't knock me out? What a bitch.”

— Michael Neuman, Documentarian (The Rooster* via Storyful)

What’s next

Campus police are investigating the altercation, and Neuman's lawyer has called for Perez to be charged with assault and terminated from his position.

The takeaway

This incident highlights the ongoing tensions between university staff and journalists on college campuses, especially at public institutions where free speech and press freedom are supposed to be protected. It raises questions about how 'intellectual diversity' initiatives can sometimes lead to confrontations that undermine those principles.