The University of Michigan has suspended a group of students for two years due to their participation in activities supporting Palestine and condemning the Zionist genocide in Gaza, which has resulted in 160,000 casualties, most of whom are women and children.
According to the Associated Press, the university justified its decision by claiming that the student group “Students United for Freedom and Equality” (SAFE) violated university conduct standards for recognized student organizations.
The alleged violations occurred during last spring’s protests, including a demonstration organized without university approval on the Ann Arbor campus.
The Israeli crimes and genocidal war on Gaza have sparked global protests condemning the atrocities. These demonstrations have extended to American universities, where students have staged sit-ins against Israeli massacres. However, US authorities have responded with repression, ordering security forces to disperse protests and arrest demonstrators. Reports indicate that around 3,200 students have been detained.
Observers argue that the US government’s violent crackdown on peaceful student protests exposes the hypocrisy of its claims to uphold freedom and human rights. Washington has shown zero tolerance for opposition to the war on Gaza, in which it was complicit in committing some of the worst crimes in modern history.
Last Wednesday, US President Donald Trump signed an executive order calling for strict measures to combat what he labeled as “anti-Semitism” in universities. The order also threatens legal action against violators and the revocation of visas for foreign students who express sympathy for Hamas.
