Michigan drops charges against anti-Israel campus protesters

Defense attorney Amir Makled said the attorney general was trying to turn free speech into a crime.

By The Associated Press

State prosecutors dropped felony charges Monday against seven people accused of trespassing and resisting police a year ago during the break-up of an anti-Israel encampment at the University of Michigan.

Attorney General Dana Nessel said she believed the cases were strong but suggested her office was worn down by criticism and other factors.

She noted that a judge in Washtenaw County still hadn’t decided whether to send the cases to a trial court despite multiple hearings.

“Baseless and absurd allegations of bias have only furthered this divide,” said Nessel, a Democrat, who added that “distractions and ongoing delays have created a circus-like atmosphere.”

The encampment on the Diag, a traditional site for campus protests, was cleared by police in May 2024 after a month. The university said the camp had become a threat to safety, with overloaded power sources and open flames.

Defense attorney Amir Makled said Nessel was trying to turn free speech into a crime.

“We sent a clear message to both Lansing and to Washington, that the people still rule, and that public pressure compels the rule of law to be upheld,” Makled said Monday.

Protesters had demanded that the school’s endowment stop investing in companies with ties to Israel. The university insisted it has no direct investments and less than $15 million placed with funds that might include companies in Israel.