A conservative Jewish activist who was knocked to the ground during a debate at the University of Michigan says the incident won’t stop her from speaking out.
“It will definitely not dissuade me,” Lizzy Benichou said Monday.
Benichou said she was hosting an open debate on the Ann Arbor campus when a woman approached the group, started shouting and allegedly hit fellow conservative influencer Joe Redden in the face with her phone. She then turned toward Benichou.
Benichou recalled telling the woman, “You would not be able to do this in Iran.” She said she was referring to freedom of speech and the Iranian government’s treatment of protesters.
The exchange grew more heated as Benichou and conservative influencer Cam Higby challenged the woman about women’s freedoms in Iran. Higby, Benichou recalled, said the woman would not be allowed to dress as she was there.
“I had also said, ‘If you were in Iran dressed like this, what would happen to you?’” Benichou said. She added that she asked some Jordanian students nearby whether she was right, and then the woman lunged at her.
Benichou said she felt sore after what she described as a hard fall during Sunday’s incident.
The University of Michigan Police Department said a student was taken into custody, processed and released. The case will be sent to the Washtenaw County Prosecutor’s Office for review. Benichou, who is not affiliated with the university, received medical treatment and was released.
The confrontation comes as Michigan’s closely watched Senate race draws attention to political and cultural divisions ahead of the midterm elections.
Benichou said concerns about Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed partly motivated her campus visit. She wanted to speak with students about his political affiliations and campaign funding.
