A free speech event at the University of Michigan descended into violence on Sunday when a woman attacked conservative reporter Liz Benichou and later threatened to kill her during the arrest. Police eventually forced the woman to the ground and placed her in handcuffs.

Benichou, a Jewish activist, was filming interviews with people on campus when the confrontation unfolded. The account described her as participating in an apparent debate before the woman suddenly shoved her to the ground and jumped on top of her.

Independent reporter Cam Higby identified the woman as a supporter of Abdul El-Sayed. The woman was also described as a self-described liberal who had previously received treatment at a mental hospital.

The shove reportedly came without warning while Benichou was conducting her interviews. After Benichou hit the ground, the woman climbed on top of her as multiple people attempted to pull the attacker away and restrain her.

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Police then arrived at the chaotic scene. One officer threw the woman to the ground and put handcuffs on her while she resisted and unleashed a stream of profanity at the officers.

Even while officers were taking control, the woman openly referred to striking Benichou. She shouted, “What the f*ck are you going to do to me because I hit a f*cking dumb ass b*tch in the face?”

The arrest did not end the outburst. As officers moved the woman toward a police cruiser, she continued shouting profanities and directing her rage at Benichou.

The woman screamed, “You stupid f*cking c*nt!” She then issued an explicit death threat toward Benichou, yelling, “I should have f*cking killed you when I had the f*cking chance!”

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The threat came after the physical attack had already been stopped and police had placed the woman in custody. Benichou remained at the scene as the woman continued screaming while officers loaded her into the cruiser.

A bystander responded to the spectacle by shouting, “go to a mental hospital b*tch,” according to the account. The arrested woman immediately answered with a statement about her previous mental health treatment.

“I’ve already been to a mental hospital, and I’ll go again!” she fired back. Her response came amid the continuing exchange of insults as police worked to remove her from the campus scene.

Benichou later addressed the attack and assured people that she was not seriously harmed. She also directly blamed the episode on radical leftist behavior.

“I’m okay. This is what happens when you dealing with leftist radicals,” Benichou said following the confrontation. Her response was notably brief compared with the profanity, physical aggression, and death threat directed at her.

I’m okay. This is what happens when you dealing with leftist radicals

THE LEFT IS MORE VIOLENT THAN THE RIGHT! — Liz Benichou (@basedinmalibu) November 1, 2026

The incident began while Benichou was filming public interviews during an event centered on free speech. What started as an apparent debate quickly became a physical confrontation when the woman shoved Benichou down and jumped on her.

Multiple people intervened before police took over. Their efforts to hold the woman back continued until the officer brought her to the ground, secured her in handcuffs, and prepared to place her inside the cruiser.

The woman continued resisting and shouting after being cuffed, according to the account. Her own remarks acknowledged that she had hit Benichou, while her later statement threatened that she should have killed the conservative reporter when she had the chance.

The confrontation placed a stark display of political hostility in the middle of a university free speech event. An activist conducting campus interviews ended up on the ground, while the alleged El-Sayed supporter was taken into police custody after admitting the attack and screaming a death threat.

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