Fbi Raids Homes Of Protesters In Southeast Michigan

FBI agents and different rule enforcement agencies conducted raids connected homes successful southeast Michigan connected Wednesday morning. Law enforcement executed hunt warrants obtained by Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel, according to a connection released by Nessel connected her charismatic X account.

Officials said nan raids took spot astatine residences successful Ann Arbor, Canton and Ypsilanti.

Activist groups declare nexus to field protests

Activist groups declare nan raids are connected to pro-Palestinian protesters who took portion successful on-campus protests astatine nan University of Michigan. In a press release, nan Tahrir Coalition, a student-led activistic group focused connected Palestinian causes astatine nan University of Michigan, said FBI agents and constabulary officers showed up astatine protesters’ homes successful unmarked vehicles astir 8 a.m. Wednesday morning.

The group says rule enforcement confiscated electronics and individual belongings and detained astatine slightest six activists, each of whom were later released. No 1 was arrested.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement were not present, according to Nessel.

Attorney wide denies relationship to protests

The lawyer wide denies that nan raids targeted activists successful relationship pinch their protests connected campus.

“These hunt warrants were not investigative of protestation activity connected nan field of nan University of Michigan nor nan Diag encampment. Today’s hunt warrants are successful furtherance of our investigation into multijurisdictional acts of vandalism and demolition of spot including those committed against aggregate homes, organizations, and businesses successful aggregate counties astir nan state,” nan connection reads.

Context of protestation actions

Several pro-Palestinian protesters person visited nan homes of University of Michigan regents successful nan past year. They demanded nan assemblage divest from Israel and defund nan police.

As Straight Arrow News reported past year, connected May 15, University of Michigan regents recovered assemblage bags, clone corpses, and bloodied toys connected their lawns. Pro-Palestinian student groups claimed responsibility.

Last month, vandals spray-painted and threw an entity done nan model of nan location of nan school’s provost, Laurie McCauley. Officers recovered nan phrases “Free Palestine,” “Divest” and “No grant successful genocide” painted connected nan beforehand of nan home.