Federal authorities in Detroit announced charges Wednesday against eight pro-Palestinian activists accused of orchestrating an intimidation scheme targeting University of Michigan administrators in an effort to pressure the institution into severing financial connections with Israel.
The criminal charges also encompass acts of vandalism directed at Michigan-based businesses and the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Detroit.
“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,” said U.S. Attorney Jerome Gorgon Jr.
The charging document outlines multiple high-profile incidents from recent years, including the placement of fake bloodied corpses on a university board member’s property and the spray-painting of anti-Israel slogans at the residence of then-university president Santa Ono.
“They marked their victims with threatening symbols used by Hamas, including red inverted triangles and red handprints,” the indictment states. “They used the internet and social media to broadcast their message to ensure their threats and commitment to continuing criminal activity were heard by their victims and others who support Israel.”
Six defendants were scheduled for initial federal court hearings Wednesday in Detroit. According to U.S. Attorney’s Office spokesperson Gina Balaya, one individual was taken into custody in Wisconsin while another remained at large.
The Associated Press was unable to immediately contact the defendants or their legal representatives for statements.
Following the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas conflict, pro-Palestinian demonstrators have pressured the University of Michigan to divest its endowment from companies connected to Israel. However, university officials maintain they hold no direct investments and have less than $15 million in funds that potentially include Israeli companies, representing under 0.1% of their total endowment.
Police dismantled a pro-Palestinian encampment on campus in 2024 after it remained for one month. University administrators cited public safety concerns as the reason for the removal.
