As University of Michigan classes resume, so do pro-Palestinian demonstrations

• Pro-Palestinian advocates are continuing to put pressure on the University of Michigan to end financial ties to groups they say are supporting Israel
• Several demonstrators say they are not slowing down their efforts  
• University police arrested four people Wednesday at a pro-Palestinian demonstration 

ANN ARBOR —  As the school year begins, pro-Palestinian demonstrators are continuing their calls for the University of Michigan to “divest” from financial investments that demonstrators say benefit Israel and its military.

On Wednesday, demonstrators held a “die-in” at a university welcome event where students can meet different student groups. It was the third day of the semester. 

U-M Police arrested four people, including three people not affiliated with the university and one temporary employee, university spokesperson Colleen Mastony said in a statement.

“Protests are welcome at the University of Michigan, so long as those protests do not infringe on the rights of others, disrupt university operations, or threaten the safety of the community,” Mastony said. “The university has been clear that we will enforce our policies related to protests and expressive activity, and that we will hold individuals accountable for their actions in order to ensure a safe and inclusive environment for all.”

Mastony said individuals were given “multiple warnings” that they “were blocking pedestrian traffic and violating university policy.” Some, she said, “refused to leave” and were arrested. 

Related:

• Wayne State University police dismantle encampment; 12 arrested
• Four arrested as University of Michigan breaks up pro-Palestinian encampment
• U-M board chair: Body bag protest at my home over Israel is ‘unacceptable’

At the rally Thursday morning calling for the release of one of those arrested, student Assmaa Eidy said those arrested included a 16-year-old who is the child of a faculty member, one recent graduate, a student who is also a U-M employee and one community member. She said two people were hospitalized including one of the four arrested. Eidy said one of the people arrested was not actually participating in the protest. 

Roughly 50 people showed up to the demonstration Thursday outside the office of the Division of Public Safety and Security. 

The events this week follow months of demonstrations since Oct. 7, when Hamas militants killed roughly 1,200 people in Israel and took 250 people as hostages. Israel responded by launching airstrikes on Gaza.  

There have been more than 40,000 Palestinians killed in the war, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, which does not differentiate between civilian and militant deaths. More than 100 Israeli hostages remain in captivity, according to news reports. 

Students and community members had an encampment on the main campus for almost a month before university officials dismantled it in May.

In the past, demonstrators held a sit-in at a university administration building, placed fake body bags at the home of the then-board chair and peacefully demonstrated at the May commencement ceremony.

Pro-Palestinian advocates also tried to get a pro-Palestinian candidate onto the state Democratic Party ticket for the university board this past weekend but were unsuccessful.

Also, the student government is run by students who ran on the platform of “Shut it Down.” Leaders have vowed to end student government activity until the university divests. 

‘Ready to win’ 

People chanted Thursday: “Disclose, divest, we will not stop, we will not rest,” a chant also used on Wednesday where people were arrested and at previous pro-Palestinian demonstrations.

Nat Leach, an undergraduate student, said they feel the movement did not slow down this summer, instead people used the time to “study, to reflect, to be critical” so they could hit the ground running and be “ready to win divestment.” 

Kathleen Brown, a PhD candidate, said the university is spending a lot of time and money on “attacking their own students.” 

The anti-war protesters “will always protect one another,” said Eidy. 

“And so we're always going to stand here with our community, our individuals, our students, whoever it may be that is facing any backlash from the university, and we'll continue to do that with every individual. But we will never stop organizing for Gaza, we'll never stop organizing for Palestine.”