Overview

• Attorney General Dana Nessel dismissed felony charges against seven protesters arrested during the 2024 University of Michigan encampment on the Diag.
• The decision came shortly before a judge was set to rule on a motion alleging bias and conflicts of interest in Nessel's handling of the case.
• Defense attorneys argued the charges represented selective prosecution aimed at suppressing free speech rather than addressing public safety concerns.
• Nessel's office continues to pursue cases related to alleged off-campus vandalism targeting university leaders' homes and workplaces.
• The case has fueled broader debates about campus activism, divestment demands, and government overreach during a period of heightened pro-Palestinian advocacy.