UMich Regent Jordan Acker’s law office vandalized 

This is a developing story and will be updated as more information becomes available. 

The law office of University Regent Jordan Acker (D) in Southfield was vandalized with calls for divestment from companies profiting from the ongoing Israeli military campaign in Gaza Monday morning, according to a video posted on X.

The Goodman Acker Law Firm’s Southfield office and the sidewalk directly in front of the building were covered with spray-painted graffiti including the phrases “DIVEST NOW,” “FUCK OFF,” “FUCK YOU ACKER” and “UM KILLS,” in addition to red hand prints on the office’s glass doors.

The vandalization incident is the second time pro-Palestine protesters have targeted Acker. The first occurred when a masked protester showed up at Acker’s home with a list of demands on May 15, following a protest at University Regent Sarah Hubbard’s (R) residence. 

In a press conference Monday afternoon, state Sen. Jeremy Moss, D-Southfield, Southfield Mayor Ken Siver (D), Southfield police chief Elvin Barren and Jordan Acker spoke in response to the vandalism.

Barren said the Southfield Police Department is collaborating with the FBI and University of Michigan Police to investigate the incident. 

“The preliminary investigation revealed that on Monday, June 3, at 1:39 a.m., four individuals were captured on surveillance video approaching from the east side of this building,” Barren said. “One acted as a lookout while the other three performed the vandalism. So we’ve not only collected video evidence from Goodman at the facility, we also collected video evidence from across this entire area to determine additional suspects, vehicles, license plates, etc.”

Acker, who is Jewish, said he feels the vandalism was a targeted antisemitic attack on a Jewish business, going beyond acceptable uses of free speech.

“Make no mistake that targeting individual Jewish elected officials is antisemitism,” Acker said. “This has nothing to do with Palestine or the war in Gaza or anything else. This is done as a message to scare Jews.”

The University did not respond to request for comment in time for publication.

Summer News Editor Andrew Baum can be reached at asbaum@umich.edu.

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