The Michigan chapter of Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-MI), a chapter of the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today questioned the Michigan attorney general’s involvement in trespassing and other charges against 11 pro-Palestinian protesters who participated in an encampment at the University of Michigan – Ann Arbor.
Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel announced that 11 persons, three of them being Muslims, were charged by her office relating to campus police dismantling an encampment in May of this year of protesters against the genocide of Gaza civilians committed by the Israeli military. Charges range from minor infractions such as active students allegedly committing trespassing to resisting and obstructing officers. Two individuals were also charged with ethnic intimidation for allegedly kicking flags of demonstrators.
Though Nessel purports that she “offered to review” this matter from local authorities due to its “multi-jurisdictional nature,” all of the charges related to the dismantling of the encampment in a public square on the university’s campus which is in Washtenaw County, not multiple municipalities and counties.
SEE: Attorney General Nessel Concludes Review of University of Michigan Protest Incidents, Charges 11
“Given the nature of the charges and the politics surrounding the circumstances, we question AG Nessel’s involvement in this case, which would be typically handled by a local prosecutor,” said CAIR-MI Executive Director Dawud Walid.
Walid also noted that Muslim students at the University of Michigan – Ann Arbor have expressed concerns that they and peaceful pro-Palestinian allies on campus are subjected to disparate treatment by the university administration and law enforcement. He cited their concerns include that no such charges came against students who set seventeen intentional fires and committed property damage earlier this year after University of Michigan won the football national championship.
Earlier today CAIR’s national office designated Columbia University and the University of Texas–Austin as “institutions of particular concern” due to their hostile treatment of anti-genocide protesters.
Both universities join a growing list of academic institutions that have used draconian measures to silence anti-genocide and pro-Palestinian voices.
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CONTACT: CAIR-MI Executive Director Dawud Walid, 248-842-1418, dwalid@cair.com; CAIR-MI Staff Attorney Amy Doukoure, 586-943-8823, adoukoure@cair.com