By Martha Grevatt
June 18, 2026
Demonstration demands the University of Michigan divest from Israeli apartheid, July 1, 2026. Speaking is Rhiannon Willow, who faced state charges – later dropped, stemming from her involvement with the Gaza Solidarity Encampment on campus.
The FBI detained seven pro-Palestine activists in Michigan on June 10. All of those detained, plus an eighth defendant currently in India who has not yet been arrested, have been charged with “conspiracy to transmit threats in interstate and foreign commerce,” which carries a maximum sentence of five years imprisonment.
One defendant faces an additional charge of “destruction of property to prevent seizure,” with a five-year maximum sentence, and two are charged with “witness tampering,” which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years.
Three of the defendants — Amatullah Hakim, Paige Feyock and Jonathan Zou — are currently students at the University of Michigan (U-M) in Ann Arbor, three — Zainab Hakim, Alexander Sepulveda and Mariam Odeh — are graduates and two — Ahmet Kerem Korkaya and Colin Weger — have ties to Southeast Michigan. The current and former students have stellar academic records.
These outrageous federal charges are based on a flimsy case built around text messages and photographs of spray-painted buildings. Alleged targets include homes and offices of university officials and pro-Zionist companies and institutions such as Rolls Royce, Maersk and the Jewish Federation of Detroit. The Palestinian Youth Movement launched a “Mask off Maersk” campaign in 2024 to pressure the world’s largest shipping company to stop transporting military cargo to Israel.
These arrests and charges make up yet another attempt by the federal government to criminalize solidarity with Palestine and label activists antisemitic and/or terrorists. They come approximately one year after Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel dropped state charges against pro-Palestine campus activists involved with the Gaza Solidarity Encampment at U-M. The encampment was erected on April 22, 2024, and was forcibly removed by university authorities on May 21, 2024. Students had demanded that the U-M divest from Israel Bonds and companies with ties to the Zionist state, which the administration still refuses to do.
Solidarity inside, outside the courtroom
Supporters packed the courtroom and held a demonstration outside on June 12, when Feyock, Zou, Weger and Zainab Hakim were arraigned. Federal prosecutors tried to convince Judge Anthony Patti to deny bond, claiming the defendants posed a risk to the community and were a flight risk. Attorneys for the activists pushed back.
The judge released the four, but under harsh conditions of house arrest with GPS monitoring. They were ordered to surrender their passports and to have no contact with the alleged victims or other defendants, other than the two Hakim sisters being allowed to have contact with each other. Nevertheless, their release was a victory.
Other judges released Korkaya, Sepulveda and Odeh shortly after they were arrested.
Clearly the U.S. Department of Justice is trying to suppress solidarity with Palestine. Another motive may be to harm the election campaign of Abdul El-Sayed, who is running for U.S. senator in Michigan and facing pro-Zionist Rep. Haley Stevens in the Democratic primary election taking place Aug. 4. The news media has emphasized that one defendant, Odeh, is a former employee of the El-Sayed campaign, as well as that the candidate has criticized the federal government for bringing these heavy charges.
Whatever the motivation, the charges against the eight solidarity activists must be dropped immediately! Solidarity is not a crime!
