A teaching assistant at Illinois State University was arrested last week and relieved of his duties after flipping the table of a Turning Point USA student chapter on campus.
Graduate student Derek Lopez, 27, likened his actions to those of Jesus in a viral video of the Oct. 17 incident posted to the X account of Frontlines TPUSA, the organization’s journalism arm.
“Well, you know, Jesus did it, so you know I got to do it, right?” Lopez said before trying to pull the tablecloth, upending the pins and ultimately flipping the table on its side.
“Thanks guys, have a great day,” Lopez says in the clip, which also showed him ripping down flyers advertising an appearance by comedian and Blaze Media host Alex Stein.
WATCH: A teacher assistant at Illinois State University flipped over a @tpusastudents table and tore down flyers promoting an upcoming @alexstein99 event.
???? @jessburback@tpusastudentspic.twitter.com/ydhIfcEa24
— FRONTLINES TPUSA (@FrontlinesTPUSA) October 17, 2025
Lopez was fired from his graduate teaching assistant job as of Monday, according to The New York Post.
“While Illinois State University does not comment specifically on personnel matters, we can confirm Derek Lopez has been relieved of his duties as a graduate teaching assistant pending further investigation,” the school’s statement reads.
The Illinois State University Police Department issued a statement on Facebook this week announcing that Lopez was arrested last Friday for disorderly conduct and criminal damage to property, following an investigation.
Noting that Lopez was alleged to have disrupted two campus informational tabling events, police said his case is pending and may lead to additional charges and university disciplinary action.
The Christian Post has reached out to Illinois State University for any additional information on Lopez’s situation and will update this story if a response is received.
Campus Police Chief Aaron Woodruff affirmed the school’s commitment to both free speech and safety.
“We are committed to protecting the First Amendment rights as well as safety of everyone in our campus community,” he said in a statement.
“We encourage all members of our community to learn more about free speech rights and responsibilities at Illinois State University, including constructive ways to respond when encountering speech they may disagree with.”
The campus police linked to the university’s statement on free speech rights, which noted that among the speech the First Amendment does not protect are actual threats or “speech that solicits or advocates engagement in illegal conduct.”
The table-flipping incident comes amid heightened tensions following TPUSA founder Charlie Kirk’s assassination last month at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah, during the first stop along what was intended to be Kirk’s months-long college campus tour.
Since his death, many prominent conservative political figures who were slated to appear with Kirk during these events have stepped in to host and field questions from college students.
Jon Brown is a reporter for The Christian Post. Send news tips to jon.brown@christianpost.com
