Temulun Togochog, a Mongolian-American activist, has been identified by the New York Post as the University of Michigan student accused of attacking Jewish influencer Lizzy Benichou earlier this week. Benichou told U.S. media outlets that the student threatened to kill her and even said she would be willing to return to a psychiatric hospital if it meant she could carry out the threat. Police confirmed that a student was arrested and subsequently released, and that the case had been forwarded to prosecutors for review.
The antisemitism watchdog organization StopAntisemitism identified Togochog as an activist known for campaigning on behalf of ethnic Mongolians living under Chinese rule in Inner Mongolia.
Footage of the confrontation at the University of Michigan
(Video: Social media)
According to the New York Post, social media posts attributed to Togochog included photographs of prescription medications used to treat several conditions, including schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, depression, anxiety and obsessive-compulsive disorder. The newspaper also reported that she had previously spoken about spending time in a mental health facility. The medications described do not establish whether she has any particular diagnosis.
The newspaper further reported that Togochog was selected as the youngest speaker at the 2026 International Religious Freedom Summit, where she received recognition for advocating for her people, whom organizers described as living under intense repression by the Chinese government. Social media accounts attributed to Togochog, which also featured photographs of her in revealing clothing, have since been deleted or made private, according to the report.
The moment Lizzy Benichou was pushed to the ground
(Photo: Social media)
Benichou described the incident in an interview with Fox & Friends, saying the confrontation, recorded by conservative activist Cam Higby, occurred during an event organized by Liberty Under Fire USA as part of a nationwide tour. She said she was participating in an open discussion on the university's Ann Arbor campus when the student approached the group. "We just wanted to have an open, respectful conversation, but she didn't seem interested in listening. She just wanted to start shouting," Benichou recalled.
According to Benichou, the student first struck conservative activist Joe Redden in the face with her cellphone. The confrontation then shifted to a discussion between Benichou and the student about freedom of speech and women's rights in Iran. Benichou said she told the student that she would not be able to behave in the same way in Iran. Higby, who was standing beside her, commented that the student would not be permitted to dress as she was dressed there. Benichou said she then asked what would happen if the student visited Iran wearing such clothing. At that point, she said, the student lunged toward her and pushed her to the ground.
The student moments before the confrontation with Lizzy Benichou
(Photo: Social media)
University of Michigan Deputy Police Chief Melissa Overton told the New York Post that officers responded to a noise complaint at approximately 5 p.m. Sunday. Upon arriving, they identified an event organized by Liberty Under Fire USA that had not received a permit. As participants were preparing to leave, officers witnessed a university student push a woman to the ground, Overton said.
The student was taken into custody, processed and released. The incident was referred to the Washtenaw County Prosecutor's Office for review. Benichou, who is not affiliated with the university, received medical treatment and was subsequently released.
Following the incident, Benichou wrote on X that she was safe and had been physically assaulted simply for attending the event and exercising her rights under the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which protects freedom of speech. "Political violence has no place in the United States of America," she wrote, also thanking police officers for acting quickly to protect her.