ANN ARBOR – After sustained pressure from civil rights and advocacy groups, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel announced the dismissal of charges against seven pro-Palestinian student protesters who were arrested in May 2024 during a campus encampment at the University of Michigan. The protest condemned what demonstrators described as Israel’s genocidal actions in Gaza.

Charges dropped after public pressure

The decision, hailed as a victory for free speech amid growing political repression of pro-Palestinian voices in the U.S., involved dropping all charges — including trespassing and resisting and/or obstructing police officers — that carried potential penalties of up to two years in prison.

The charges stemmed from a police intervention on May 21, 2024, to dismantle the encampment at the Diag, a central area on campus. The protest, organized by student groups, was in response to the university’s refusal to issue a statement calling for a ceasefire in the occupied territories.

Reports indicate that the University of Michigan’s governing board enlisted Nessel to file charges against pro-Palestinian student protesters after local prosecutors were hesitant to act.

Legal delays and controversy

While Nessel maintained that the charges were based on evidence and facts, she cited legal delays, ongoing controversy and repeated accusations of bias as reasons for the dismissal. She stated that these factors rendered continued prosecution unproductive.

She stated that while she stands by the original decision to prosecute, ongoing delays, court disputes and allegations of bias created a “circus-like atmosphere” that made continuing the cases an imprudent use of state resources.

The case became contentious as a Washtenaw County judge had not ruled — despite months of hearings — on whether authorities had sufficient grounds to prosecute the students. This lack of a decision contributed to Nessel’s conclusion that pursuing the case was no longer viable.

Concerns were raised about potential conflicts of interest due to close political and financial connections between university regents and Nessel, including campaign contributions from pro-Israel individuals and groups.

Nessel, who is a Jewish American, denied allegations of bias against the student demonstrations opposing Israel’s actions in Gaza. She asserted that unfounded claims of bias only deepened divisions and that calls for her recusal were attempts to distract and delay legal proceedings.

She noted that a statement from a nonprofit organization supporting her office had been sent directly to the Washtenaw County Court. She deemed this action legally inappropriate and cited it as a factor in her difficult decision to drop the charges.

Faith leaders and civil society speak out

The dismissal also followed repeated calls from religious leaders, activists and human rights groups to end the legal pursuit of the seven students. Critics accused Nessel of aligning with influential University of Michigan regents and donors who support Israel, raising concerns about her impartiality.

Just hours before the charges were dropped, a coalition of Muslim, Christian and Jewish clergy participated in a protest organized by the TAHRIR Coalition (Transparency, Accountability, Humanity, Reparations, Investment, Resistance) outside the Washtenaw County Courthouse in Ann Arbor. They demanded the dismissal of charges against pro-Palestinian activists accused of trespassing at the homes of university officials and called for Nessel’s recusal.

Standing behind a banner reading “Drop the Charges” and joined by the accused students and their supporters, retired Reverend Joe Summers of the Episcopal Church of the Incarnation in Ann Arbor declared, “It’s time for Nessel to stop supporting policies of repression and war.”

He emphasized that dropping the charges was the least that could be done and urged the attorney general to recognize the harm caused by ongoing policies of domination and war.

Reverend Jo Hatlem of Shalom Church in Ann Arbor criticized the official stance toward the students, arguing that the charges reflected a distortion of justice. She contended that the police, who used pepper spray against peaceful demonstrators, were the ones who engaged in violence, not the students.

“If we believe Dana Nessel, then these students who camped and gathered peacefully are the ones committing violence, not the police who assaulted people with pepper spray, not the university that profits from the death and destruction of an entire people and not the prosecutors who weaponize our judicial system,” Hatlem said.

She reiterated calls from civil and human rights communities to drop the charges.

Pro-Palestinian protesters demonstrate — demanding that charges be dropped against protesters arrested during the clearing of an encampment at the University of Michigan Diag – File photo

Echoes of history and legal support

Imam Mustafa Al-Turk, president of the Islamic Organization of North America in Troy, described the protesting students as “brave individuals expressing what our conscience, faith, and democracy compel us to do — speaking truth to power.”

He likened the prosecution of these young activists to the darkest chapters of American history, reminiscent of McCarthy-era crackdowns aimed at silencing dissent.

While charges against the seven students have been dropped, Nessel’s office continues to investigate allegations of vandalism amounting to approximately $100,000 at various locations, including the homes of University of Michigan President Santa Ono and Regent Jordan Acker.

A team of volunteer attorneys had stepped forward to represent the accused students in Washtenaw County Court pro bono. The legal team included Lauren Askew, Amir Makled, Raed Mourad, Jamil Khuja, Ollie K. Ajami, John Minock and Stacie McNulty. Their efforts contributed to mounting pressure on Nessel, ultimately leading to the dismissal of the charges.

This case is part of a broader national pattern where charges against pro-Palestinian protesters are being dismissed, reflecting a reevaluation of legal actions taken against such demonstrations.