University of Michigan cracks down: Pro-Palestinian group suspended for 2 years
Students Allied for Freedom and Equality accused of policy violations as school defends limits on protests.
A pro-Palestinian student group at the University of Michigan has been suspended for two years and stripped of its funding over violations of campus conduct policies linked to anti-Israel protests.
Students Allied for Freedom and Equality (SAFE) faced disciplinary action for participating in unauthorized demonstrations, including a protest outside a university regent’s home last spring and another on the Ann Arbor campus without school approval.
The suspension comes amid heightened tensions on U.S. campuses over the Israel-Hamas war, which has led to disruptive and sometimes violent protests nationwide. A wave of pro-Palestinian encampments on college grounds resulted in approximately 3,200 arrests.
The war in Gaza erupted after Hamas-led terrorists launched an attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, killing about 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages.
On Wednesday, President Donald Trump signed an executive order mandating strict measures against antisemitism on college campuses, vowing to prosecute offenders and revoke visas for international students found to be "Hamas sympathizers."
The University of Michigan issued its sanctions against SAFE nearly two weeks earlier, on January 16. The group is also barred from reserving university spaces. It has until next Thursday to appeal the decision.
The university stated that SAFE’s suspension could be lifted earlier than two years if the group complies with all sanctions and meets with school officials to discuss policy awareness for student organizations. However, reinstatement would not be possible before the winter of 2026.
Times of Israel contributed to this article.