San Francisco: Five current and former Stanford University students are facing trial for their role in the occupation of the university president’s office during a pro-Palestinian protest in June 2024. The proceedings, which began on Friday, mark a rare instance where campus demonstrators are being prosecuted for actions taken during the nationwide wave of student protests that year.
The charges stem from an incident on June 5, 2024, the last day of spring classes, when demonstrators barricaded themselves inside the offices of the university president and provost for several hours. Authorities initially arrested 12 individuals following the standoff.
Prosecutors allege that the group caused significant damage during the occupation, including breaking windows and furniture, disabling security cameras, and spray-painting walls. The protesters are also accused of splattering a red liquid, described as fake blood, throughout the offices. Stanford University is seeking $329,000 in restitution for the damages.
Of the 12 originally arrested, one 21-year-old defendant accepted a plea deal that allows for record sealing upon successful completion of probation. He subsequently testified for the prosecution, leading to the grand jury indictment of the remaining 11 individuals in October on charges of felony vandalism and felony conspiracy to trespass.
While six of those indicted accepted pretrial plea deals or diversion programs, the remaining five defendants pleaded not guilty and proceeded to trial.
Avi Singh, an attorney for defendant Germán González, emphasized the importance of the legal process. "Germán González and the other four defendants are exercising their constitutional right to have a jury trial, and demand the district attorney prove everything that is required for a conviction," Singh stated, noting that the prosecution must prove specific intent to trespass.
Santa Clara County District Attorney Jeff Rosen defended the decision to press charges, distinguishing between free speech and criminal acts. "Speech is protected by the First Amendment. Vandalism is prosecuted under the penal code," Rosen said when the charges were announced last year.
The Stanford incident was part of a broader movement across US campuses where students established encampments and demanded their institutions divest from Israel amid the war in Gaza. Nationwide, approximately 3,200 people were arrested in connection with these protests in 2024. However, unlike the Stanford case, most charges across the country were ultimately dismissed.
(Inputs from AP)