Mizzou Assistant Professor Click Charged with Third-Degree Assault

The University of Missouri assistant professor who angrily confronted and shoved a student videographer last fall during a campus protest is now facing third-degree assault charges. According to local media reports this morning, Steve Richey, Columbia’s city prosecutor, is charging Melissa Click with the misdemeanor offense.

MU Prof. Melissa Click charged with third degree assault for Nov. incident during MU protests. #abc17news

— Dan Messineo (@DANMABC17) January 25, 2016

Columbia city attorney’s office confirmed MU Assistant Professor Melissa Click has been charged with assault.

— KOMU 8 News (@KOMUnews) January 25, 2016

Click won national notoriety last November when she attempted to forcibly remove videographer Mark Schierbecker from the media-free “safe space” that was created by  student activists and faculty for a #ConcernedStudent1950 protest. Possible penalties include a fine and jail time.

In the last minute of the video below, Click tells Schierbecker that he has to “get out.” When Schierbecker replied he didn’t have to leave the area,  Click shoved him and grabbed at his camera. “You need to get out!” she repeated angrily. Knowing his rights, Schierbecker stood his ground. “Actually I don’t,” he insisted. “Alright!” Click snapped, stepping away. “Hey, who wants to help me get this reporter out of here. I need some muscle over here!”

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xRlRAyulN4o]

Schierbecker subsequently filed a “municipal simple assault” complaint against Click with the campus police, claiming she physically and verbally assaulted him.

“Click should also go. Even more so,” he said. “That’s my number one priority at the moment, is making sure she never teaches ever again.” Click resigned Tuesday night from a courtesy appointment in the Missouri School of Journalism, which allowed her to serve on graduate committees. She has also resigned from the Chancellor’s Student Publications Committee.

Schierbecker, along with Tim Tai, a student photojournalist, were reporting on the #ConcernedStudent1950 protest after the university’s president and campus chancellor stepped down over charges of indifference to racial issues.