Civil rights advocates say U-M protest indictment blurs protected speech, criminal conduct

Eight pro-Palestinian activists associated with the University of Michigan were indicted by the U.S. Department of Justice for allegedly transmitting threats to university officials and others, prompting civil rights advocates to argue the case conflates protected political expression with criminal conduct. The indictment claims the group coordinated efforts to pressure the university to divest from Israel, while the Council on American-Islamic Relations Michigan Chapter criticized the charges as overreaching.