Pro-Palestinian activists have been accused of running an intimidation campaign against University of Michigan officials, as federal prosecutors unsealed an indictment on Wednesday against eight individuals. The activists are alleged to have conspired to threaten and terrorize university leaders in an effort to force the school to cut financial ties to Israel.
Details of the Indictment
The indictment, unsealed by the US Attorney's Office, describes a series of incidents including vandalism against companies operating in Michigan and the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Detroit. Jerome Gorgon Jr, a US attorney, stated, "In America, we rule by law not by fear. These alleged threats and attempts to terrorize government officials, businesses, and the Jewish Federation are anti-American. We will counter intimidation with justice."
Key incidents highlighted in the document include the placement of fake bloody corpses on the lawn of an elected university board member and the spray-painting of anti-Israel messages at the home of the university's then-president, Santa Ono. The indictment also notes that the activists used symbols associated with Hamas, such as red inverted triangles and red handprints, to mark their victims.
Legal Proceedings
Six of the eight defendants were expected to make initial appearances in federal court in Detroit on Wednesday. One individual was arrested in Wisconsin, while another remains at large, according to Gina Balaya of the US attorney's office. The Associated Press was unable to immediately reach any of the defendants or their attorneys for comment.
Background of the Protests
Since the onset of the Israel-Hamas war, pro-Palestinian protesters have demanded that the University of Michigan's endowment divest from companies with ties to Israel, including Boeing and Lockheed Martin, which supply weapons to the Israeli military. The university has stated that it has no direct investments in Israel and less than $15 million placed in funds that may include Israeli companies.
The university and state officials have faced scrutiny for their response to student protests. In October 2024, The Guardian reported that school officials took unusual steps to recruit Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel to bring felony charges against protesters. A subsequent investigation found that the university hired private investigators to surveil students involved in campus protests, leading to a lawsuit by one student.
Federal Crackdown
The Trump administration has pursued aggressive investigations and deportation campaigns against international students involved in protests that rocked American campuses in 2023 and 2024. However, the indictment unsealed Wednesday represents one of the most aggressive federal prosecutorial actions against pro-Palestinian activists to date. While thousands of students were arrested during the protests, most charges were brought at local or state levels and later dropped.
