ANN ARBOR, Mich. (TND) — Protesters demanding the University of Michigan divest from companies perceived as helping Israel in its war against Hamas staged demonstrations at school officials’ homes Wednesday.
Dozens of members of the university’s chapters of Jewish Voice for Peace, Students Allied for Freedom and Equality (SAFE) and the Transparency, Accountability, Humanity, Reparations, Investment, Resistance Coalition set up fake bloodied corpses, tents, cribs and children’s toys on Regent Sarah Hubbard’s lawn to hold her “accountable” for her alleged role in the war.
“The tactics used today represent a significant and dangerous escalation in the protests that have been occurring on campus. Going to an individual’s private residence is intimidating behavior and, in this instance, illegal trespassing,” the university said. “This kind of conduct is not protected speech; it’s dangerous and unacceptable.”The demonstrators purportedly circled Hubbard’s driveway repeating divestment chants and banging drums before sunrise, leaving the regent a list of demands taped to her door.
“Protesting at a public official’s private residence is unacceptable and will not move their cause forward in a satisfactory manner,” she wrote on X.
The student organizations claimed Hubbard laughed at protesters two weeks ago while attending a party next to their encampment and said they would remain “relentless” for Palestine. The university told The Michigan Daily last month it increased campus security to “maintain an environment that is conducive to learning and academic success.”
Other demonstrators purportedly listed demands at Regent Jordan Acker’s home around 4:40 a.m. Wednesday. Acker likened their behavior to that of protesters of the 2020 presidential election, who allegedly threatened Michigan officials.
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“This form of protest is not peaceful. Public officials should not be subject to this sort of intimidating conduct, and this behavior is unacceptable from any Michigan community member,” he said. “No group, on the right or left, should engage in this behavior, and it cannot be tolerated in any free society.”
The university's Board of Regents did not immediately return The National Desk’s request for comment Thursday.
The demonstrations were some of the many pro-Palestine protests taking place at campuses across the U.S. recently. At New York University’s Wednesday commencement, graduates walked out of the ceremony with red-painted hands and keffiyehs to protest the school’s investments in Israel.
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