ANN ARBOR, Mich. (Michigan News Source) – The University of Michigan’s Diag turned into a flashpoint yesterday as anti-Israel protesters chanting “how many kids have you killed today” clashed with counter-protesters waving Israeli and American flags and calling for the return of hostages taken by Hamas, chanting “bring them home.”
The university’s iconic Diag, usually a hub of academic and social activities, was transformed into a battleground of conflicting ideologies once again, highlighting the deeply rooted divisions that continue to spark unrest on the Ann Arbor campus.
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Tensions escalated into physical altercations with police all captured in video by independent reporter Brendan Gutenschwager. According to the Detroit Free Press, four arrests were made, however none of them were students.
The anti-Israel group staged a “die-in” demonstration, chanting, among other things, “Israel bombs, U of M pays, how many kids have you killed today?” and “disclose, divest, we will not stop, we will not rest” while lying on the ground in protest on “bloody” sheets. They were also heard chanting “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free” which is offensive to many Israelis and their supporters because it is interpreted as a call for the elimination of the state of Israel.
Turning Festifall into a battlefield.
It was supposed to be a joyful and informative day for the university’s Festifall event showcasing student organizations but instead, the anti-Israel group TAHRIR Coalition organized the protest on the same day, announcing plans for a “No Back to School in Gaza” die-in demonstration.
The TAHRIR Coalition is an association of more than 90 anti-Israel/pro-Palestine organizations,
Their call to action: “JOIN US TOMORROW on the diag to protest UM’s complicity!! There are no universities or schools left standing in Gaza. There are no Gaza children heading back to school. We will not celebrate Festifall as UM invests in this genocide.”
Their Instagram post also announced the die-in, saying, “We will not celebrate back to school as UM invests in and funds genocide. We are united in our demand for complete divestment.”
Police intervene amid mounting tensions.
The protest drew about 50 protesters and resulted in the University of Michigan Police stepping in to warn those obstructing the area to leave. An announcement from the department echoed over loudspeakers, stating, “If you are laying on the ground and obstructing The Diag, you are in violation of Section 750.552 of Michigan Compiled Laws, trespass after warning.”
Despite the warnings, many protesters refused to disperse, leading to several arrests as tensions escalated further.
For and against the protest.
The Graduate Employees’ Organization of Michigan, fully supporting the protesters, said on X, “The arrest of peaceful protesters on the Diag today is beyond reprehensible. First amendment rights apparently mean nothing at @uMich. This is a shameful start of the semester.”
Clearly not supporting the protest was student Beth Newhart who identifies herself on X as a “Proud American! Standing with Israel always!.” She posted her view of events on her social media page:
Today was Festifall at @uofmichigan, a day where all the clubs exhibit on the Diag. Festifall had the Diag reserved for this reason. Meanwhile these PO 💩decided to plant themselves in the middle on bloody sheets calling for divestment. I was told they were warned once and when… pic.twitter.com/g1CKX9Tl0Y
— Beth Newhart 🇮🇱 🇺🇸 (@BethNewhart) August 28, 2024
Back to school, back to fields of battle.
This protest happened on what was only the third day of school for the U of M students – and at the same location where anti-Israel protesters set up their encampment back in April, demanding the university cut financial ties with Israel. By May, authorities finally dismantled the camp, tearing down the tents and making several arrests.
Newly-elected Anti-Israel student government shut down financing for all school organizations.
U of M students are also having to deal with the anti-Israel students taking over the student government and defunding all of the campus organizations until the university agrees to divest from Israel as we reported earlier in the week.
During the spring election where only 20% of the student body voted, the “Shut It Down” party won 22 of the 45 seats according to Campus Safety Magazine and are now refusing to fund student groups on campus – the very groups whose Festifall event devolved into mass chaos on Wednesday.
U of M responds to Wednesday’s protest.
Colleen Mastony, assistant vice president for public affairs, said in a statement about the protest at the Diag on Wednesday, “For more than an hour, they were given multiple warnings that made clear they were blocking pedestrian traffic and violating university policy. Most eventually dispersed although some refused to leave and, as a result, four people were arrested. None of the people who were arrested were students. Three were unaffiliated with the university, and the fourth is a temporary employee.”
Mastony went on to say, “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. 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 enforcement for all.”
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