University of Michigan student was pulled away after allegedly shoving Lizzy Benichou to the ground, then reportedly broke free and lunged again
Liberty Under Fire USA set up a table on the University of Michigan’s Ann Arbor campus on Sunday, beneath a sign asking whether Islam is compatible with the West. A University of Michigan student allegedly shoved conservative influencer Lizzy Benichou to the ground during the visit. She then appeared to lunge at Benichou a second time.
Campus police said officers witnessed the student assault a woman not affiliated with the university around 5 p.m., according to The New York Post. The confrontation reportedly began with an argument at the table. She allegedly clapped in one man’s face and demanded to see a permit, then denied hitting him as people nearby claimed they had proof on video.
The argument shifted when Benichou asked a bystander if the student’s outfit would be acceptable in Iran. The University of Michigan student turned toward Benichou and shoved her to the ground before charging at her. A man nearby grabbed the student to stop the attack, but she broke free, dropped her backpack, and lunged at Benichou again.
The student didn’t stop yelling even after officers handcuffed her
An officer and another man stepped in, and the officer forced her to the ground to apply handcuffs. During the struggle, the student appeared to yell crudely that she had hit Benichou in the face. While being placed into a police car, she told those nearby she had zero remorse and would do it again.
The University of Michigan student then appeared to shout, “I should’ve f****** killed you when I had the f****** chance.” Onlookers reportedly gasped, and when someone asked if she was kidding, she said she was not. Benichou’s manager, Taylor Sharp, claimed Benichou injured her lower back in the fall and plans to press charges.
She was “physically assaulted simply for showing up and exercising my First Amendment rights,” Benichou wrote on X in an official statement. She thanked officers for their fast response, said she is safe, and claimed the attacker supports Abdul El-Sayed, the Democratic Senate nominee in Michigan. However, that claim remains unverified, as police have not publicly identified the student or who she allegedly supports.
The incident came two days before Tuesday’s election, in which voters will choose between El-Sayed and Republican Mike Rogers. Earlier that day, Democratic Representative Haley Stevens, who lost to El-Sayed in the primary, threw her support behind Rogers. Donald Trump soon invited Stevens to switch parties.
Police said the University of Michigan student was taken into custody, processed, and released pending warrant authorization. The department also said no injuries were reported. However, that account appears to conflict with Sharp’s claim that Benichou hurt her back.
Nearly a third of college students say violence is sometimes okay to stop a speaker
The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression surveys tens of thousands of students each year about campus speech. Its 2026 rankings found a record one in three students accepted using violence to stop a campus speech, at least in rare cases. The group’s latest survey put that figure at 30%, per the Washington Times.
Under Michigan law, simple assault and battery is a misdemeanor punishable by up to 93 days in jail, a $500 fine, or both. Release pending warrant authorization typically means police send their report to prosecutors, who decide whether to file charges against the University of Michigan student.
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