Temulun Togochog

Introduction

Temulun Togochog, a University of Michigan student, was taken into custody by campus police on Nov. 1, 2026 after a viral video captured a student — identified in online posts and by the watchdog group StopAntisemitism as Togochog — shoving conservative Jewish activist Lizzy Benichou to the ground during a free-speech event on the Ann Arbor campus. As officers led her away, the student was recorded saying she should have “killed” Benichou when she had the chance. On Nov. 3, 2026, the Washtenaw County Prosecutor’s Office authorized charges against Togochog by name: one count of assaulting, resisting or obstructing an officer and two counts of assault or assault and battery, with a felony warrant to be issued by the court and a court date set once she is arraigned. Benichou’s manager has said she plans to press charges.

Background Information

Togochog is known for advocating for the rights of ethnic Mongolians living under Chinese rule in Inner Mongolia, according to StopAntisemitism. In 2026 she was picked as the youngest speaker at the International Religious Freedom Summit, where she was praised for her commitment to “advocating for her people, who live there under intense oppression from the Chinese government.”

In posts she made public before her profiles were taken down or made private, Togochog displayed her mental health prescriptions and claimed to have been in a mental institution in the past, according to the New York Post’s review of the material; her victim said Togochog told her she “had been in a mental institution before and she would be happy to go back if it meant she got to kill me.”

The Controversy or Incident That Led to Their Cancellation

Charges authorized. On Nov. 3, 2026, the Washtenaw County Prosecutor’s Office authorized one count of assaulting, resisting or obstructing an officer and two counts of assault or assault and battery against Togochog — named by the office itself, which had received the case the day after the arrest. Campus police never publicly named her; the earlier identification rested on online posts and StopAntisemitism. No trial has occurred, and the charges are accusations, not convictions.

The confrontation unfolded at a tabling event for Liberty Under Fire USA, a conservative youth organization, where activists Cam Higby and Joe Redden displayed signs reading “Is Islam compatible with Western values?” and “Is Islam evil?” In the viral video, the student first argued with the two men, clapped directly in one man’s face, called the display “f–king stupid,” and demanded to see their permit; the man told an off-camera campus officer she had smacked him, which she denied while onlookers said the exchange was on camera. Benichou, who was hosting an open debate, said she asked whether the way the student was dressed would be acceptable in Iran — “If you walked around like this in Iran, what would happen to her?” — and said the student then “just lunged.” According to Benichou, the student struck Redden in the face with her phone before turning on her.

The video shows the student shoving Benichou to the ground. A bystander pulled her away; the student broke free, removed her backpack and lunged again before a campus police officer forced her to the ground and struggled to handcuff her. As officers placed her in a patrol car, the student was recorded shouting that she had no remorse: “I’d do it again every f–king time,” followed by “I should’ve f–king killed you when I had the f–king chance” — a remark that drew audible gasps from onlookers, the Post reported.

Deputy Chief Melissa Overton of the University of Michigan Police Department told the Post that officers responded to a noise complaint on Nov. 1, 2026, at approximately 5:00 p.m., found an unpermitted event being packed up, and “witnessed a University of Michigan student push a woman to the ground. The student was taken into custody, processed and released.” Overton said “the incident has been forwarded to the Washtenaw County Prosecutor’s Office for review,” and that the victim, who is not affiliated with the university, “was later medically treated and released.”

The charges were authorized the day after prosecutors received the case: Alyssa Fountain, an administrative assistant at the Washtenaw County Prosecutor’s Office, said the case was submitted on Monday, Nov. 2, that “we thoroughly reviewed the evidence that was submitted to us,” and that Togochog “will be charged with a count of assaulting, resisting or obstructing an officer and two counts of assault or assault and battery.” “There is no court date at this time, but a felony warrant for these charges will be issued by the court and a court date set once she has been arraigned on the charges,” Fountain said. Benichou’s manager, Taylor Sharp — CEO of Liberty Under Fire USA — told Mediaite that Benichou injured her lower back when she was thrown to the ground and plans to press charges against the arrested student. Benichou also said her attacker “had been identified as a supporter of Abdul El-Sayed,” the Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate in Michigan, on the eve of Election Day.

Public Reaction and Consequences

The video spread rapidly, surpassing 6.6 million views by Sunday night, with the death threat during the arrest drawing the sharpest reaction. Benichou wrote on X that she was “physically assaulted simply for showing up and exercising my First Amendment rights,” adding, “Political violence has NO place in the United States of America,” and “I am now in a safe location receiving care and I am going to be OK.” In a statement posted online, she said, “If the intention was to intimidate me or silence me, it will not work.” Benichou said the incident will “definitely not dissuade” her despite suffering a hard fall.

Reawaken USA, the faith-based group that organized the campus event, said its events “are intended to create a space for peaceful conversations surrounding faith, ideas and differing belief systems,” that “disagreement is a fundamental part of free expression, but it never justifies violence,” and that “political violence has no place on our college campuses or anywhere in America”; commentator Cam Higby stated that the university contacted the group to ask for the video to be removed from social media to protect Togochog from “negative blowback.” The university stated on Monday that “physical violence has no place on our campus” and that it is “firmly committed to protecting freedom of speech and expression,” while saying federal privacy laws barred it from commenting on specific student conduct matters. The Post reported that Togochog’s public profiles were taken down or made private after the video circulated.

Current Status

As of Nov. 3, 2026, charges have been authorized but Togochog has not been arraigned — a felony warrant for the three counts is to be issued by the court, and a court date will be set once she is arraigned, according to the prosecutor’s office. She was processed and released by campus police on Nov. 1, and it is unclear whether she remains on campus. The university has not announced any disciplinary action, citing federal privacy laws, and Togochog has not publicly responded to the allegations; the Post reported it contacted her for comment. All matters described remain unadjudicated: the charges are accusations, and she has not entered a plea or faced trial.

Impact on Their Career/Life

Until the confrontation, Togochog’s public profile was built on human-rights advocacy: a platform at the International Religious Freedom Summit as its youngest 2026 speaker and recognition for advocating for Mongolians under Chinese rule. The viral video reframed that public identity around the shove and the recorded threat, drew millions of views, and tied her name to a prosecutor review that became formal charges authorized on Election Day in a contentious Michigan race in which her alleged support for one candidate became part of the story. Her public profiles came down within hours, and her advocacy work now sits alongside pending criminal charges rather than an open question of whether any would be brought.

Sources

NY Post, “Michigan student Temulun Togochog ranted about being released from mental hospital: report” — source
NY Post, “University of Michigan student arrested after attacking conservative influencer Lizzy Benichou on Ann Arbor campus” — source
JNS, “SCOOP: Prosecutors authorize charges against Michigan student who allegedly attacked Jewish commentator” — source
NY Post, “Charges authorized for Michigan student who allegedly assaulted Jewish commentator” — source
The College Fix, “UMich student who attacked conservative charged with assault and battery, obstructing an officer” — source
Times of Israel, “‘I should have killed you while I had the chance’: Student attacks conservative Jewish commentator at University of Michigan” — source
Mediaite, “MAGA influencer Liz Benichou attacked by progressive student at Michigan” — source
The College Fix, “VIDEO: Female student attacks conservative Jewish activist at University of Michigan” — source
X post, @nypost, “Charges authorized for Michigan student who allegedly assaulted Jewish commentator” — source