University of Michigan Protest Leads to Four Arrests Amid Gaza War Demonstration
TEHRAN (Tasnim) - Four individuals were arrested during a protest at the University of Michigan's back-to-school event on Wednesday, with demonstrators calling for divestment from Israel over the Gaza war.
The demonstration, organized by the TAHRIR Coalition, involved a die-in on the Diag, where protesters laid on the ground, simulating death in opposition to the ongoing genocidal Israeli war in Gaza. The coalition, representing over 100 student groups, urged the university to divest from companies supplying weapons used in the war, according to Fox.
The University of Michigan Police Department reported that around 50 individuals participated, disrupting the event. Officers requested that the protesters disperse, citing pedestrian traffic obstruction and violation of university policy.
"For more than an hour, they were given multiple warnings that made clear they were blocking pedestrian traffic and violating university policy," the university's Division of Public Safety and Security stated.
TAHRIR Coalition, however, described the dispersal and arrests as violent, saying police charged at students, faculty, and community members who had gathered peacefully. The coalition alleged that three protesters were forcibly grabbed and slammed to the ground.
The University of Michigan Faculty and Staff for Justice in Palestine (FSJP) supported these claims, stating that police actions led to serious injuries, with one protester's head reportedly slammed against the concrete and two others requiring emergency medical attention. They further said that two activists were specifically targeted due to their racial identity.
As of Thursday afternoon, the university had not provided further details or confirmed any injuries or allegations of racial discrimination by the police.
This incident follows a similar confrontation in May, where police forcibly dispersed a month-long student encampment on the Diag, resulting in four arrests and at least two hospitalizations. Video footage posted by the TAHRIR Coalition showed police using pepper spray during that earlier clash.
In response, the University of Michigan reiterated its commitment to allowing protests as long as they do not disrupt university operations or threaten safety, emphasizing that policies regarding protests would be enforced to ensure a safe and inclusive environment for all.
