Four More Accused in Michigan University Protests

Federal authorities charged four new defendants Friday for their roles in a criminal intimidation campaign aimed at University of Michigan officials. The goal of the alleged scheme was to force the school to sever its financial connections with Israel.

The new indictment follows a June 2026 charge against eight other pro-Palestinian activists who are accused of conspiracy. Prosecutors say the group targeted university leaders, local businesses, and the Jewish Federation of Detroit with threats and vandalism.

Investigators detailed specific incidents that occurred over the past several years. These acts included placing fake bloody corpses in the yard of a university board member. In 2024, anti-Israel messages were spray-painted on the home of Santa Ono, who served as the school president at that time.

The U.S. Attorney's Office in Detroit stated that two of the four new defendants were arrested and appeared in court for the first time on Friday. The other two individuals were not taken into custody. All eight defendants from the earlier June indictment have already pleaded not guilty.

U.S. Attorney Jerome Gorgon Jr. commented on the charges, stating, “From Pharaoh to Hitler to Hamas, those who terrorize Jews have been the bad guys. As Americans, our job is to fight the bad guys.”

Protests demanding that the university endowment stop investing in companies tied to Israel have intensified since the Israel-Hamas war began. The university has maintained that less than 0.1% of its total endowment is placed with funds that might include Israeli companies. In 2024, police cleared a pro-Palestinian camp from campus after one month, citing a threat to public safety.