A disturbing video from the University of Missouri’s Columbia campus surfaced online yesterday. The video clearly shows university faculty members, Janna Basler and Melissa Click, impeding on the rights of two student photographers, Tim Tai and Mark Schierbecker.

In the video, Basler interrupts Tai’s attempts to document the events unfolding on the quad and demands that he provides personal space for the students wishing to intentionally withhold his first amendment rights. Basler then proceeds to encroach Tai’s personal space by bumping into him and forcing herself forward with the help of the students around and behind her. This quickly escalates into an entire mob forcing Tai away from the public grounds through intimidation and force. Basler maintains an unsettling confrontational tone throughout the entire exchange.

Shortly after that, Schierbecker, the videographer documenting and exposing these injustices through his recording, breaks through the crowd and is met by Click. She too resorts to intimidation and force to remove what she deems an unwanted and unnecessary member of the press. She is barely able to maintain control as she reaches for Schierbecker's camera. The entire video can be seen here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xRlRAyulN4o

In assaulting, intimidating and encroaching on the first amendment rights of Tai and Schierbecker, Janna Basler and Melissa Click not only broke the law, but did so in front of countless impressionable students. This act of hypocrisy undoubtedly impacted the students who bore witness to such misguided leadership. These students now have a skewed perception of the law, the Bill of Rights, justice, influence and peaceful protest.

If administrators can be removed due to perceived inaction detrimental the goals of the university then members of the faculty should be held responsible for the consequences of their direct and intentional actions.

The university has set a precedent that such willfully intolerant behavior has no place on University of Missouri campuses. The hypocrisy and lack of empathy shown by Basler and Click has a direct impact on the academic atmosphere at the university; an atmosphere designed to provide access to information and a safe space for free thought. Their actions counter the mission of the university as a whole, and are made worse by the fact that they took place on a campus that prides itself as a bastion of journalism. How can the university maintain its reputation as the preeminent learning center for future leaders of the press while allowing its faculty to tread on the rights of photojournalists?

We demand that Janna Basler and Melissa Click write hand written apologies to the university, Tim Tai, Mark Schierbecker and the Reynolds School of Journalism. In the letter they must refer to their irresponsible neglect of the true intention of first amendment and confess to being horrific role models to the students participating in the protests and watching the events online.

We also demand that Click and Basler be removed from their positions at the university immediately. Their actions brought public shame to the university, undue emotional stress to protected members of society and served as a horrific example of peaceful and responsible protest.