Lizzy Benichou, a conservative Jewish activist, said she was shoved to the ground during an open debate at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor on Sunday. Speaking Monday on “Fox & Friends,” she said the incident would not deter her from participating in public discussions.
Benichou said a woman approached the debate group shouting and struck conservative influencer Joe Redden in the face with her phone before turning toward Benichou. The account of the encounter comes from Benichou’s description in the interview; the supplied report does not include a response from the woman or an independent account of what happened.
Benichou said she told the woman that she would not be able to act the same way in Iran, explaining that she was making a point about free speech and the Iranian government’s treatment of protesters. She recounted that she and conservative influencer Cam Higby then challenged the woman about women’s freedoms in Iran. Benichou said Higby remarked that the woman would not be allowed to dress as she was in Iran, and that Benichou asked Jordanian students nearby whether she was right. Benichou said the woman then lunged at her.
Benichou described hitting the ground hard and feeling sore afterward. The source does not provide information about injuries to Redden, whether anyone sought medical care, or whether university officials or law enforcement investigated the confrontation.
The campus visit also had a political dimension, according to Benichou. She said she was partly motivated to speak with students about Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed, including questions she wanted to raise about his political affiliations and campaign funding. The supplied material does not detail those questions or provide a response from El-Sayed or his campaign.
The encounter occurred as Michigan’s Senate contest was drawing attention ahead of the midterm elections, the report said. It did not provide further details about the race or establish a connection between the debate confrontation and campaign activity beyond Benichou’s stated reason for visiting campus.
