Four people have been charged by the FBI over an alleged campaign of intimidation targeting the University of Michigan and Jewish organisations, as federal investigators expand their investigation into threats and vandalism reportedly linked to pro-Palestinian activism.
The new charges, announced by the US Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Michigan on Friday, October 30, bring the total number of defendants in the investigation to 12.
Two of the latest suspects have been arrested, while the other two remain at large, according to federal authorities.
Prosecutors contend that the suspects were involved in a coordinated campaign designed to pressure the university and several private organisations into severing perceived financial and institutional connections with Israel.
The alleged activity targeted University of Michigan leadership, two university regents, campus police personnel, a student, the Jewish Federation of Detroit and businesses considered to have links to Israel.
Announcing the latest charges, Jennifer Runyan, special agent in charge of the FBI's Detroit Field Office, also warned that those responsible for threatening families and institutions would face consequences.
“Those who believe they can threaten families, hide behind a group, and avoid accountability should think again. Justice will find you,” she said.
The latest indictment follows an earlier round of charges in June, when eight people were accused of participating in a conspiracy involving threats against university officials, businesses and the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Detroit.
The alleged incidents included anti-Israel graffiti at the home of former university president Santa Ono in 2024, and the placement of fake bloodied bodies in the garden of a university board member.
Prosecutors also describe incidents involving broken windows and glass jars containing noxious chemicals allegedly thrown into family homes.
Investigators further allege that the perpetrators marked properties with red handprints and inverted red triangles and subsequently circulated photographs of the vandalism online alongside further threats.
The indictment alleges that these actions were intended to frighten individuals into complying with demands that the university and other organisations end their perceived relationships with Israel.
The University of Michigan has faced sustained pressure from pro-Palestinian campaigners since the outbreak of the Gaza War. Protesters have demanded that its substantial endowment divest from companies with connections to Israel.
However, the university has previously said that less than 0.1 per cent of its endowment is invested in funds that might include companies operating in Israel.
The dispute also led to a month-long protest encampment on campus in 2024, which was eventually cleared by police. University officials said the encampment had become a public safety concern.
The prosecutions have attracted criticism from lawyers representing pro-Palestinian activists, who argue that the federal government's approach risks criminalising political protest and opposition to the conflict.
Lawyers representing activists also described the original prosecution as “a new low in the criminalisation of student opposition to the human rights violations, war crimes, and genocide in Gaza”.
The Jewish Federation of Detroit welcomed the latest charges, expressing gratitude to federal investigators and local law enforcement for their work.
In a statement to The Jerusalem Post, the organisation said it was “deeply grateful to the US Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Michigan, the FBI and our state and local law enforcement partners for their diligence and commitment to this investigation”.
The organisation described the additional charges as an important step towards accountability, saying they sent a message that those targeting individuals, families and institutions with threats and violence would be pursued.
The FBI said the latest charges reflected continued cooperation between federal, state and local agencies investigating the alleged campaign.
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