Analysis of the difference in responses Ann Arbor law enforcement has had to recent incidents involving University of Michigan students, Palestinian rights, and football.
Marissa Kenrick
Sports Editor
Social Media Manager
Despite drastic social change in America originating from activism and protesting during the Civil Rights era, protesters today are still treated unlawfully.
On Nov. 17, 2023, Pro-Palestinians stormed the Administration building in Ann Arbor Michigan. That same night, 40 people were arrested.
According to Michiganadvance.org, it was reported that students were given multiple warnings for “civil disobedience” and “trespassing” but didn’t listen. It then would lead to 40 students either getting tickets or arrested. 2 months later, on Jan. 1st, 2024, the University of Michigan students celebrated the recent title of
“National Champions' granted to the University’s football team. Students crowded the streets, set couches on fire, and destroyed buildings and other structures. ZERO arrests were made following the incident. Once news struck the internet and across social media platforms, specifically The City of
Dearborn Instagram Page (TCD), that these students were destroying. Despite drastic social change in America originating from activism and protesting during the Civil Rights era, protesters today are still treated unlawfully.
On Nov. 17, 2023, Pro-Palestinians stormed the Administration building in Ann Arbor Michigan. That same night, 40 people were arrested. According to Michiganadvance.org, it was reported that students were given multiple warnings for “civil disobedience” and “trespassing” but didn’t listen. It then would lead to 40 students either getting tickets or arrested. 2 months later, on Jan. 1st, 2024, the University of Michigan students celebrated the recent title of “National Champions' granted to the University’s football team. Students crowded the streets, set couches on fire, and destroyed buildings and other structures. ZERO arrests were made following the incident. Once news struck the internet and across social media platforms, specifically The City of Dearborn Instagram Page (TCD), that these students were destroying property which within itself is a federal crime, followers started freaking out.
One comment read; “Sooo it’s ok to take to the streets for a football game but not for protesting?”
Another comment read; “wild people get out into the streets over a sport game but won’t get out and protest for basic human rights"
Commenters made good points such as how storming and vandalizing the streets for a football game is considered fun and just students being students yet when protesters take the streets to put out their message, it’s “civil disobedience”.
While police aren’t allowed to speak explicitly on the situations in interviews, public information is given both on the University website and the city of Ann Arbor.
“Recent events at the University of Michigan and elsewhere emphasize the pressing need for members of the University community–including
A recreatement photo of the Palenstine Protest in Ann Arbor taken on Jan. 25th, 2024. 40 tickets/arrests were made on Nov. 17th, 2023 after students and residents protested for Palestine to be free and Israel to ceasefire.
administrators, faculty, staff, and students–to reaffirm formally their deep commitment to freedom of speech and artistic expression and to clarify the implications of that commitment. Freedom of speech in this context will be taken to encompass all forms of communication and artistic expression as well as the freedom to listen, watch, protest, or otherwise participate in such communication. It is hoped that this reaffirmation will win the support, in spirit and in letter, of people representing the entire spectrum of opinion of the University community in order to create a truly open forum, one in which diverse opinions can be expressed and heard.” Read spg.umich.edu/policy. “Expression of diverse points of view is of the highest importance, not only for those who espouse a cause or position and then defend it, but also for those who hear and pass judgment on that defense. The belief that an opinion is pernicious, false, or in any other way detestable cannot be grounds for its suppression.” The date when the guidelines were added was July 8, 1988, and was last updated on April 1, 1993, when Anti-Nazis demonstrated SS (Schutzstaffel) actions towards members at Ann Arbor’s city hall. While protesting can be considered both a good and bad thing depending on how protestors react, the University of Michigan should update its rules and regulations to more modern times, especially with the Palestine and Israel war going on currently. The current guidelines provided by the University of Michigan Standard Practice Guide (SPG) are as follows; “The University should provide appropriate platforms for free speech and artistic expression. Whenever areas surrounding a public event are cordoned off for security purposes, this must not be done in such a way as to remove the possible location of any protest so far from the center of action that the protest is thereby rendered totally ineffectual. Organizers of the event or University representatives should make clear in advance which areas have been cordoned off, and for what purpose."
The guideline shows that participants involved in the protest on Nov. 17 were allowed to say what they wanted to say due to the First Amendment in the Bill of Rights, but for the University, you may not protest during a public event or destroy any buildings or agriculture.
engage in violent conduct and thereby intentionally or recklessly cause or create a serious risk of causing public terror or alarm.”
Comparing the two situations, the only publicized disturbance caused by the by chanting the University’s well known
Followers under The City of Dearborn (TCD)’s post on Instagram shared strongly worded comments following the post about students' behavior after the university won a national championship. This post was made on Jan. 9th, 2024.
This may have been the reason for 40 people getting tickets for storming a building but what about the celebration that took place on Jan 1? Is it because they are “celebrating” the University? That should be taken under consideration and Police and Media Platforms like TCD (The City of Dearborn) should take responsibility for being biased and not considering it a riot because according to Cornell.edu, the legal definition of a riot is “riot is a public disturbance where three or more people behave in a violent and uncontrolled manner”. On Jan 1, students were going around Downtown Ann Arbor creating disturbance by chanting the University’s well known “Hail to the Victors” chant as well as blasting the Killers “Mr Brightside” and setting 21 couches on fire and breaking lamp posts.
Section 1 of the Michigan Government’s Riot Procedures reads “ It is unlawful and constitutes the crime of riot for 5 or more persons, acting in concert, to wrongfully
“Hail to the Victors” chant as well as blasting the Killers “Mr Brightside” and setting 21 couches on fire and breaking lamp posts.
Section 1 of the Michigan Government’s Riot Procedures reads “ It is unlawful and constitutes the crime of riot for 5 or more persons, acting in concert, to wrongfully engage in violent conduct and thereby intentionally or recklessly cause or create a serious risk of causing public terror or alarm.”
Comparing the two situations, the only publicized disturbance caused by the protesters fighting for the freedom for Palestine and for Israel to ceasefire was that they stormed the administration building. They did not ruin or destroy any city-owned property. Yet 40 tickets were given to individuals involved. But none to the people destroying public properties after the National Championship?
Located on State Street in Ann Arbor
Michigan, a graffiti painting that reads “The Call for a Free Palestine is a Call for Freedom Everywhere”. While in Dearborn this may seem normal, it is unique in Ann Arbor, especially with a mostly white population.
Although on Jan 29, 2024, the University of Michigan Faculty Senate passed a resolution calling for University divestment from Israel after the president of the University has publicly acknowledged his support for Israel, it is still unjustifiable that they were given tickets and nobody was for the “celebration” aka, a riot.
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