VIDEO: UNC prof charged with assault at Confederate statue toppling
Dwayne Dixon teaches Asian Studies at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill
Video footage of the alleged assault, taken by a conservative media outlet reporter, captures the incident
A university spokesperson called the August 20 incident a "personnel matter," refusing to comment further.
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill police charged a professor with simple assault during the toppling of a Confederate statue on campus, the school told Campus Reform on Wednesday.
According to the arrest report obtained by Campus Reform, Dr. Dwayne Dixon, Teaching Assistant Professor at UNC’s Asian Studies Department, received a criminal summons for simple assault and warning of trespass on August 30 after the “Silent Sam” Confederate statue toppling on August 20. Dixon is due in court on Sept. 27.
Patrick Howley, editor-in-chief at conservative BigLeaguePolitics.com alleged in a tweet that the professor assaulted him, directing readers to a video showcasing the alleged attack. The video was uploaded to YouTube by Big League Politics Reporter Peter D’Abrosca.
UNC professor Dwayne Dixon has been served a criminal summons for simple assault against me.https://t.co/jZuspyMfcf
— Patrick Howley (@howleyreports) September 4, 2018
According to the UNC Police incident report, which Campus Reform also obtained, Dixon is accused of “striking victim[’]s face and head with open and closed hand[s].”
[RELATED: Student protesters tear down Confederate statue at UNC]
The Durham County Sheriff’s Office had arrested Dixon on Aug. 18, two days before the UNC rally, charging the professor with going armed to the terror of the people and carrying a weapon at a public gathering, both misdemeanors, reported The Herald Sun. Dixon was carrying a semi-automatic rifle with at least three 30-round magazines, according to the police. The professor was released on $5,000 bail.
UNC police charged 18 individuals in connection with the “Silent Sam” protests on Monday, Aug. 20, Saturday, Aug. 25, and Thursday, Aug. 30, UNC spokesman Randy B. Young told Campus Reform. The school termed Dixon’s involvement a “personnel matter” and did not respond to additional inquiries regarding whether Dixon has tenure, whether he still teaches, or is on paid leave.
The police charged five protesters with resisting, delaying, or obstructing an officer, four protesters with simple assault, and three individuals with misdemeanor defacing of a public monument and misdemeanor riot, among other charges.
Dixon did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Campus Reform.
Follow the authors of this article on Twitter: @ShimshockAndAwe and @celinedryan
