FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Wednesday, June 10, 2026
Federal Government Brings Dubious Charges Seeking to Criminalize Advocating For Divestment From Israel and Calling for an End to Genocide
DETROIT – Today, the Federal Government raided the homes of, detained, and brought indictments against eight people – including students and alumni – who advocated for the human rights of Palestinians and called for the University of Michigan to divest from Israel. The indictment alleges a conspiracy to use interstate commerce to threaten unidentified persons: one who was the victim of littering during a public protest; another who was the victim of spray-paint on a building and a broken window at a home and office; and a third who may have been the victim of further spray painting on the sidewalk outside a home. The indictment recounts but does not charge any of the protesters for engaging in these acts. Instead, the indictment appears to be based on a claim that protesters conspired and shared content of public protests, littering, and spray-painted graffiti in public facing social media posts of student organizations or that the spray painting or littering itself amounts to a terrorist-like threat.
“The actions of law enforcement appear to be a new low in the criminalization of student opposition to the human rights violations, war crimes, and genocide in Gaza. Based on evidence that the government appears to have had for more than a year and for actions occurring nearly two years ago, the federal government is seeking to bring federal charges for acts traditionally reserved to local prosecutors” said John Philo, the Executive and Legal Director of the Sugar Law Center. “It must be asked why and why now.”
“For decades, students, alumni, workers, and community members have called on the University of Michigan to divest from Israel and to defend the human rights of Palestinians. Yet, in the last three years protesters who speak out against genocide have been met with weaponized student discipline, termination and permanent blacklisting from employment, campus-wide trespass bans, private security surveillance, and prosecutions by the Michigan Attorney General that have had all charges dismissed. And now, Michigan protesters advocating for human rights are facing repression at the highest levels from the Trump administration.” said Liz Jacob, Staff Attorney at the Sugar Law Center. “The escalating repression and criminalization of Palestine solidarity protesters undermines all of our rights to free speech, protest, and dissent.”
In ongoing federal civil litigation, the Sugar Law Center for Economic & Social Justice represents students and protestors who have been targeted by the University of Michigan for engaging in speech protected by the First Amendment.
About the Sugar Law Center
The Sugar Law Center for Economic and Social Justice is a national non-profit, public-interest law center. Sugar Law Center provides legal advocacy, representation, education and technical support to workers and communities seeking systemic change toward economic and social justice. For more information on the Sugar Law Center, visit www.sugarlaw.org.
CONTACT:
Liz Jacob                                         John Philo
Office: (313) 993-4505 ext. 7     Office: (313) 993-4505 ext. 3
ljacob@sugarlaw.org                   jphilo@sugarlaw.org

See .pdf of Press Release here.