Pro-Palestinian Protestors Take Over University of Michigan Building, Distrupt Detroit Tree Lighting

MICHIGAN, Nov. 20, 2023 ~ Pro-Palestinian protestors called for a ceasefire and relief for Gaza in the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict across Michigan over the weekend, taking over university buildings and disrupting public events to deliver their message.

About 40 University of Michigan protestors were arrested, given citations, and released Friday after hundreds of students staged an hours-long sit-in by the office of university President Santa Ono. SAFE UMich coordinated the protest with pro-Palestinian groups to demand the university to divest from companies that invest with Israel and that, “Fund and participate in the genocide of the Palestinian people,” according to a post on SAFE UMich’s Instagram page.

Later that evening in Downtown Detroit, a group of about 20 protestors walked through the dense crowd at the 20th annual Detroit Tree Lighting shortly after the tree’s illumination. They chanted, “Ceasefire now,” and carried a banner that read, “Israel is bombing churches. Gazan Christians facing extinction. Christmas is canceled.“

A recent Reuters poll found that 68% of U.S. adults agree with a ceasefire, with proponents saying one would let aid flow into Gaza and allow the safe return of Hamas hostages. Opponents of a ceasefire fear it would allow the Palestinian militant group Hamas to regroup for another attack. As of Monday, over 13,000 Palestinians have died in Gaza, over 5,500 of them children. About 1,200 people died in Israel from the Hamas attack on Oct. 7.