A demonstration at University of Michigan resulted in the arrest of three non‑student protesters after they blocked a parking garage as part of an anti‑Israel protest. The event highlights conflicting responses to campus speech and protests in the context of the Israel‑Hamas war.
On Wednesday, an estimated 150 or so activists and students, allied with the TAHRIR Coalition (a pro‑Palestinian coalition), gathered outside the university’s Rackham Graduate School to protest an event featuring former Israel Defense Forces members hosted by the campus chapter of Students Supporting Israel. Campus security reported that police intervened when protesters blocked an underground parking‑garage exit and refused to comply with orders to disperse.
According to university officials, three individuals who were not students were arrested on charges including resisting and obstructing police, attempting to disarm an officer, disorderly conduct, and outstanding warrants. One of those arrested had a prior felony charge. A spokesperson noted the arrests followed repeated warnings to clear the exit obstruction.
Protest participants claimed the police used force during the arrests — one described officers pushing unarmed demonstrators to the ground and threatening pepper spray deployment.
While the protesters argued they faced aggressive policing, the university’s message emphasised that blocking a public facility and refusing orders posed a legitimate grounds for law enforcement action. This event adds to a broader national trend of heightened campus tensions around the Israel‑Hamas war, free speech, and protest tactics.
