Rep. Bob Etheridge apologized Monday for his behavior in a video that shows the North Carolina Democrat roughly handling a student who approached him on the street.

In the video — making the rounds on several blogs — Etheridge appears to push away the camera when a student asks him whether he “fully supports” President Barack Obama’s agenda. He then grabs the student’s arm and demands to know who he is.

“I deeply and profoundly regret my reaction and I apologize to all involved,” Etheridge said in a statement. “Throughout my many years of service to the people of North Carolina, I have always tried to treat people from all viewpoints with respect. No matter how intrusive and partisan our politics can become, this does not justify a poor response. I have and I will always work to promote a civil public discourse.”

One version of the video can be found here.