Michigan attorney general drops charges against pro-Palestinian protesters

HAMILTON, Canada

The US state of Michigan dropped all charges against seven individuals arrested during a pro-Palestinian protest last year on a college campus, said local reports on Monday.

The group, who faced misdemeanor charges of trespassing and felony charges of resisting and obstructing police at the University of Michigan, had pleaded not guilty.

Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel, who did not attend the hearing, later issued a statement defending her office's initial decision, citing the evidence, but blamed "months and months" of delays and political pressure for the dismissal.

She also criticized the judge overseeing the case and said improper communication from a local nonprofit to the court led to the decision.

"These distractions and ongoing delays have created a circus-like atmosphere to these proceedings," she said.

Amir Makled, attorney for one of the defendants, said the outcome was about more than just the charges.

"This was the criminalization of free speech," he said, adding: "This is a victory for anyone who believes in the right to protest and speak out."

Saying that this is not an end, Makled said: "There are still students across the country that are facing this persecution. There's still a genocide that is happening in Palestine and we should never forget that today we still get to stand firm and say: Free Palestine."