ANN ARBOR, Mich. – Charges have been announced for people involved in summer protests at the University of Michigan over the Israel-Hamas War.
The Attorney General’s Office said none of the charges are predicated on the content or subject of protected speech.
11 people, mostly students and alumni, are facing charges. Two people have been charged with trespassing and seven others have been trespassing and resisting or obstructing a police officer.
The charges were filed Wednesday, Sept. 11, in Washtenaw County Court. They stem from when police were trying to break up an encampment set up on the Diag back in May. In the month prior, about 60 tents and a perimeter fence had been erected.
The U-M Fire Marshall said they had safety concerns about the densely packed encampment and after nearly a dozen meetings between university officials and students, police ordered the group to leave.
Background: 4 arrested as University of Michigan kicks pro-Palestinian protesters off campus
“There were dozens of demonstrators in this encampment that morning who promptly obeyed the officers on the scene and dispersed. In this case we charged only those who made an effort to impede the officers clearing the encampment.
All students should know, whether on- or off-campus, in a sanctioned demonstration or an unpermitted encampment, disobeying the lawful commands of law enforcement is a crime, and especially so when you use physical force to counter a police action.”
Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel
Two others have also been changed with separate counter-protests. A former student was charged with disturbing the peace and attempted ethnic intimidation for allegedly kicking over flags.
A person with no affiliation to U-M has been charged with malicious destruction of personal property for allegedly taking multiple flags and breaking some of them.