Michigan has dropped charges against seven pro-Palestine student protesters from the University of Michigan, bringing an end to the case that started in May 2024.
In a statement, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel cited legal delays and controversies surrounding the US case, which she said has contributed to creating “a circus-like atmosphere to these proceedings”.
Notably, the announcement came just moments before a judge was to decide on a defence motion to disqualify Nessel’s office over alleged bias.
For context - the protesters and their supporters, among them the US representative Rashida Tlaib, had previously alleged bias in Nessel’s office, arguing that the university recruited her because she was a political ally.
The legal team for the students hailed the decision as a big win for free speech and the right to protest, and said they’re “hoping this sends a message to other institutions that protest is not a crime, and dissent is not disorder”.
Despite dropping the charges amid growing criticism of the case, Nessel defended her decision to pursue felony charges against the students, saying “a reasonable jury would find the defendants guilty of the crimes alleged”.
However, Nessel added in a statement that she dropped the charges nearly a year later because she did not believe “these cases to be a prudent use of my department’s resources”.
