Unhinged Professor Put on Leave After Violently Flipping Over Voter Info Table of College Republicans at University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire

College Republicans manning a voter info table early Tuesday morning at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire were stunned by the behavior of an unhinged professor who violently flipped their table over after inaccurately complaining they were too close to the campus polling site for the statewide election on a Supreme Court seat and voter ID referendum.

Video posted by the UWEC College Republicans shows the alleged attacker walking away after flipping over the table. Voter material can be seen strewn on the sidewalk in the brief video:

UWEC Chair Tatiana Bobrowicz posted a video saying the attacker was IDed by the school as the chair of the English department:

Bobrowicz gave a more detailed account of the attack to WQOW-TV (excerpt):

18 News spoke with the chair of the group, Tatiana Bobrowicz, who was there when it happened. According to her, they had a table set up for the election Tuesday when they were approached by a man. She said he asked her why they were so close to the polling place. When she said they were past the 100-foot requirement, Bobrowicz said he told her ‘the time for this is over’ and flipped the table over.

Bobrowicz said the entire incident lasted around ten seconds.

The man has been identified as a professor and department chair of the English department, José Felipe Alvergue.

UW-Eau Claire Interim Provost Michael Carney issued a statement to the media about the incident (via WEAU-TV):

I am deeply concerned that our students’ peaceful effort to share information on campus on election day was disrupted. UW-Eau Claire strongly supports every person’s right to free speech and free expression, and the university remains committed to ensuring that campus is a place where a wide variety of opinions and beliefs can be shared and celebrated. Civil dialogue is a critical part of the university experience, and peaceful engagement is fundamental to learning itself. We are working with the Universities of Wisconsin and the Office of General Counsel, which is conducting a comprehensive investigation of this matter. The faculty member involved has been placed on administrative leave pending that investigation.

UPDATE: WSAU-TV reports police are investigating (excerpt):

Police in Eau Claire are reportedly looking into a university professor after students alleged that they (sic: he) attacked a group of College Republicans and flipped their table, supporting former state Attorney General Brad Schimel on Tuesday morning.

UPDATE 2: Court records show Jose Felipe Alvergue has been charged with disorderly conduct, given $295 bond and has a court date of May 7.