A professor at Hunter College has been fired after threatening two journalists from the New York Post with a machete.
The reporter and photographer were attempting to speak to Shellyne Rodriguez about a situation where she went on an expletive-filled rant against anti-abortion activists on campus, the New York Post reported.
According to the Post, she shouted: “Get… away from my door, or I’m going chop you up with this machete,” after reporter, Reuven Fenton, along with a photographer, arrived at the former professor’s residence to speak with her about the viral video showing her verbally abusing anti-abortion student-activists.
Backed by video footage, the Post’s article on the occurrence claims “she held the machete to the reporter’s neck” after opening the door.
The reporters allegedly left Rodriguez’s address instantly but were followed by the machete-wielding former professor onto the street—the incident was caught on a car dashcam.
Part of the City University of New York, the administration at Hunter College verified she had been “relieved of her duties.”
Hunter College spokesperson Vince Dimiceli told BBC News: “Hunter College strongly condemns the unacceptable actions of Shellyne Rodriguez and has taken immediate action.”
In the original viral video that the Post was pursuing commentary on, Ms. Rodriguez approached an information table run by Students for Life, a group of college-age anti-abortion advocates who want to end access to abortion.
“You’re not educating… This is… propaganda,” she tells the students were who tending to the information table. “This is violent. You’re triggering my students.”
“This is bullsh*t. This is violent,” she went on. “Get this sh*t the f*ck out of here! F*ck this sh*t!”
“When professors don’t respect their students and their rights, schools become unsafe,” said Kristan Hawkins, Students for Life president. “Students should be taught how to peacefully exchange ideas with each other and professional staff.”
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