In a small–but hopefully the first of many–win, the arrested comrades have all been granted bond and are fighting their cases amongst family, friends, and community. However, the state is still attempting to further isolate our comrades by barring communication between defendants; employing tactics of isolation as a form of demoralization and intimidation toward the broader movement.

They are facing charges brought forth by the federal government in collaboration with UM and have been indicted by a grand jury, building on a campaign of repression spearheaded by UM administrators, including Regents Sarah Hubbard and Jordan Acker. The charges range from “destruction of evidence” to “witness tampering” to “conspiracy to transmit threats.” Most of the so-called evidence comes from devices seized during previous raids in Michigan a year ago, and it relies on a government narrative reeking of zionist propaganda, violent anti-Arab racism and Islamophobia.

In the indictment, the federal government is attempting to construct a conspiracy, claiming defendants “used the internet” to research “targets”, used “social media to broadcast their message” and demand divestment from “israel”, and were inspired by resistance groups from Palestine and the 60s and 70s anti-war movement. What we see in this indictment is the government attempting to use not only the last three years of encampments, student organizing, and the Palestinian resistance’s actions against our comrades to portray them as “violent criminals” in the public’s eye, but also to further demonize any form of advocacy for Palestine.

At its core, the charges against the Michigan 8 represent an unleashing of the increasingly fascist state in defense of private property and its connections to zionist colonialism. The state is seeking to criminalize the struggle for divestment in any way possible, because the popular movement for Palestine is a threat to the neoliberal order of the United States that relies on the support of the masses through compliance and indifference. U.S imperialism’s rabid support for the genocide of the Palestinian people naturally resulted in an upsurge in mass resistance. In a desperate attempt at stifling this mass resistance, imperialism defends its deeds through repression.

What Happens Now

“The Michigan 8” will need ongoing support. One way that the state wears down defendants is with grueling legal costs in the form of lawyer fees, travel fare for going to court, and mandatory payments for things like ankle monitors and court services. Donate to their legal defense fund here: bit.ly/umlegalfund. Strong community support at court hearings shows the government that behind each individual defendant are thousands of people who stand ten toes down with them – You can stay updated on the 8’s court dates and other news by following @safexmich and @tahrirxmich.

Organizing actions and events (banner drops, rallies, fundraisers, poli-ed sessions and workshops) are great ways to stand with the Michigan 8, but also everyone who’s facing state repression. The language the government is using to spin alleged property destruction and graffiti as “terror” mimics the targeting of Mohamad Hamad, a former student currently in federal prison awaiting trial for alleged vandalism targeting Zionist institutions in Pittsburgh. The stoking of Islamophobia and anti-Arab racism in this case shouldn’t be separated from violent ICE activity in immigrant communities: “Immigration enforcement” is nothing more than a cover for ethnosupremacist control.

The timing of these charges are not coincidental. The state waited to regroup, in order to attack the Palestine solidarity movement following its peak activity on campuses in 2024. These charges are being brought in an effort to bring down the Palestine solidarity movement, just as it has attempted to do in the past with the Holy Land Five, as well as with other repression campaigns against National Liberation Movements, Anti-ICE organizers, and many more it deems a threat to capitalist-imperialism. Just as we have seen throughout history, if we stand united, the state’s repression will fail once again.  

When we isolate, we deprive ourselves of support from the movement and from the masses of working class, criminalized, and oppressed people in this country. When the state is successful in dividing and isolating, it can win. When intensive mass work is done among communities who face repression daily, workers who are exploited and outraged by the ventures of U.S imperialism, and the many more rightfully outraged by these charges, we can win. Every workplace, every neighborhood, and every university can be turned into sites of class struggle that defeat repression when it inevitably comes. Repression is a weapon the state uses to maintain its rule, and is something that must be defeated in the struggle to overcome capitalist-imperialism.

Signed,

~ Revolutionary Student Union

~ National Students For Justice in Palestine

~ Palestine Solidarity Working Group

Endorsements:

Students for International Labor Solidarity at UM

United Asian American Organizations at UM

Palestinian Feminist Collective

Within Our Lifetime

International Jewish Anti-Zionist Network

Fire Ant Movement Defense

Wisconsin Bail Out the People Movement

Northern Kentucky for Palestine

YUSRA

Young Democratic Socialists of America

Black Alliance for Peace Prisoner Support Team

U.S Palestine Community Network

Palestinian Youth Movement Detroit

Wayne State Law Students for Justice in Palestine

Sunrise Movement at MSU

Dissenters

Dissenter at Chicago

Palestine House of Freedom

Springs of Revolution [DSA]

Marxist Unity Group [DSA]

Emerge (DSA)

Black Youth Alliance

Juventud Unida Por La Independencia

Fire Ant Movement Defense

Codepink

Codepink Lansing

Thrift4Gaza Detroit

Students for International Labor Solidarity at NYU

Jews Against Zionism at NYU

Communist Party USA of Greater Lansing

Ann Arbor for Palestine

Alumni of UMich for Palestine

The New School Jewish Cultural Club

Palestine Solidarity Committee at IU

Oklahomans Against Occupation

Diaspora Pa’lante Collective

Hurriya Coalition

Coalition for Action in Higher Education

Charlotte United for a Free Palestine

NYK 4 Palestine Coalition

Writers Against the War on Gaza

Thrift4Gaza New York

Communist Workers League

Jakhi McCray Support Committee

Tarek Bazrouk Support Committee

Michigan Divest

Pal-Awda NY/NJ

Judaism On Our Own Terms at Chapman University

Christians for a Free Palestine Detroit

Socialist Horizon

Institute for the Critical Study of Palestine

Jacksonville Palestine Solidarity Network

CUNY Graduate Center For Palestine

SJP at University of Maryland

SJP at Vassar

SJP at Chicago

SJP at Swarthmore

SJP at Columbia University

SJP at Flint

SJP at Penn State

SJP at MSU

SJP at New Brunswick

SJP at CUNY School of Law

SJP at UNL

SJP at RISD

SJP at CCNY

SJP at Madison

SJP at Wayne State University

SJP at University of North Texas
SJP Dallas
SJP at UT San Antonio
Texas A&M Aggies Against Apartheid
SJP at University of Houston
SJP at University of Oklahoma
SJP at UT Arlington
SJP at University of Central Oklahoma
SJP at UT Tyler
SJP at University of Tulsa

SJP at Dartmouth