Activist assaulted at Michigan campus ahead of elections

Police officers arrested a University of Michigan student on Sunday after she knocked conservative activist Liz Benichou to the ground during a confrontation on the Ann Arbor campus. The incident occurred shortly before 5 p.m. during a political event organized by conservative activists, according to footage shared on social media and statements from local authorities.

Videos of the altercation show the student shouting, "I should have killed you when I had the chance," as officers escorted Benichou to a patrol car. The attacker was released pending a decision on whether to issue a warrant and file charges, according to a statement from the University of Michigan Police Department provided to the Daily Mail. The department stated that no injuries were reported to them at the scene.

Benichou, a Jewish political activist associated with President Donald Trump's MAGA movement, arrived on campus as part of an event hosted by the conservative youth organization Liberty Under Fire USA. The group had set up a booth with signs asking, "Is Islam compatible with Western values?" and "Is Islam evil?" The student confronted the attendees, accused them of holding anti-Muslim views, and asked if they had permission to hold the gathering.

According to footage published by Mediaite, the argument escalated after Benichou commented on the student's clothing. She asked, "Am I wrong? If she walked around like that in Iran, what would happen to her?" The student then threw down her phone, lunged at Benichou, and shoved her with both hands, knocking her to the ground. The attacker attempted to kick Benichou as another person tried to pull her away.

A university police officer at the scene restrained the student, who resisted arrest while shouting and cursing. Even after being handcuffed, she continued making violent statements directed at Benichou. When a bystander asked if she was joking about her threat to kill, the student replied that she was not.

Taylor Sharp, Benichou's manager and CEO of Liberty Under Fire USA, told Mediaite that Benichou suffered an injury to her lower back from the fall. Sharp said the attacker continued trying to reach Benichou even after being pulled away and that Benichou intends to pursue criminal charges.

Benichou announced in a social media post that she was in a safe location and receiving treatment. She wrote, "Political violence has no place in the United States," thanking the officers who protected her. In a separate post, she criticized the radical Left for engaging in violence and stated that attempts to silence her would not succeed.

The attack took place two days before US midterm elections, during a heated Senate race in Michigan between Democratic candidate Abdul El-Sayed and Republican candidate Mike Rogers. Conservative activist Cam Higby, who shared video of the incident, claimed the attacker was an El-Sayed supporter. However, the student's political affiliation has not been independently verified, and no published evidence links her to the Democratic candidate's campaign.