A pro-Palestinian group at the University of Michigan has been suspended for two years and will lose its funding in connection with protesters' demands for divestiture from companies doing business with Israel.
Students Allied for Freedom and Equality, also known as SAFE, was accused of violating the university's standards of conduct for recognized student organizations following a protest last spring outside a regent’s home and a demonstration without school permission on its Ann Arbor campus.
Tensions over the Israel-Hamas war led to emotional demonstrations on US campuses, including a wave of pro-Palestinian tent encampments that led to about 3,200 arrests.
On Wednesday, President Donald Trump signed an executive order calling for aggressive action to fight antisemitism on college campuses and promising to prosecute offenders and revoke visas for international students found to be “Hamas sympathizers.”
The University of Michigan's sanctions against SAFE were handed down nearly two weeks earlier, on Jan. 16. The group also is prohibited from reserving university spaces. It has until next Thursday to appeal.
The suspension could be lifted earlier than two years if the group satisfies all the sanctions against it and meets with school officials to discuss the university's decision and the awareness of policies for student organizations. However, that could occur no sooner than winter 2026.
“Protests are welcome at U-M, so long as those protests do not infringe on the rights of others, significantly disrupt university events or operations, violate policies or threaten the safety of the community," the school said in a statement. "The university has been clear that we will enforce our policies related to protests and expressive activity, and that we will hold individuals and student organizations accountable for their actions in order to ensure a safe and inclusive environment for all.”
The Associated Press left several email messages seeking comment with SAFE and with its national umbrella organization, Students for Justice in Palestine, on Friday.
