Police detained at least one person Monday and used chemical spray on others as several hundred people supporting Palestinians marched on the University of Michigan campus, coming within yards of Jewish students marking the anniversary of the Oct. 7 terrorist attacks.
The marchers both called for the Ann Arbor-based university to divest from organizations supporting the war in Gaza and some chanted for an “unending intifada” against Israel, a term Palestinian supporters see as a pledge to rise up against Israel while many Israeli supporters consider it a call for violence against Jews.
The protesters came within about 50 yards of Jewish students gathered to commemorate the one-year anniversary of the Oct. 7 terrorist attack , where 1,200 were killed, including many at a music festival in Israel.
While most of Monday’s march was peaceful, police grabbed a protester during an altercation a little after 5 p.m. As they pulled on the person, other marchers tried to pull the person away from law enforcement. Eventually detained, the police action prompted marchers to reverse course and direct their ire at police.