MONROE CO. — An Indiana University graduate student is facing over a dozen intimidation charges across multiple counties after allegedly sending threatening Christmas cards to members of the IU Board of Trustees.
Maria McComish, of Bloomington, whose affiliation with the IU Divestment Coalition is noted in the correspondence, is accused of demanding that the board members disclose and divest the university from any financial ties related to the killing of Palestinians in Gaza. Court documents indicate that McComish faces charges in Monroe, Hamilton, and Hendricks counties.
The demands for Indiana University to divest from entities linked to Israel date back to protests held in Dunn Meadow last April. However, prosecutors argue that the language used in the Christmas cards crossed a legal line, transforming these calls into acts of intimidation.
The text of the card, as cited in court documents, read: “You have until Jan. 13 to meet these demands or we will escalate to match the severity of the situation. We will not rest until YOU are no longer complicit. Sincerely, The IU Divestment Coalition.”
The Hamilton County Prosecutor’s Office contends that by referring to the deaths of Palestinians as a genocide, the subsequent phrase, “We will escalate to match the severity of the situation,” was interpreted as a direct threat of violence, specifically implying the intent to murder the board members who received the cards. At the same time, the First Amendment protects freedom of speech, but the content of these cards falls outside the bounds of acceptable political expression.
A judge has set McComish’s bond at $15,000. She is scheduled to appear back in court on June 23.
All individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. This article is based on the information provided in the Probable Cause Affidavit and does not represent a final determination of guilt or innocence.
