Anti-Israel Protesters At Stanford Face Felony Charges For Campus Building Takeover, Vandalism

Prosecutors on Thursday filed felony charges against 12 pro-Palestinian protesters who allegedly broke into a Stanford University administration building last year, causing extensive damage that could now land them behind bars for up to three years.

Santa Clara County District Attorney Jeff Rosen charged 11 current or former Stanford students and one other individual with felony vandalism and felony conspiracy to trespass.

On June 5, 2024, police arrested 13 people alleged to have been involved in breaking into and subsequently barricading themselves inside the Stanford president’s office that morning, demanding that the university boycott and divest from companies associated with the Israeli government.

“Dissent is American. Vandalism is criminal,” Rosen said. “There is a bright line between making a point and committing a crime. These defendants crossed the line into criminality when they broke into those offices, barricaded themselves inside, and started a calculated plan of destruction.”

The protesters face up to three years and eight months in prison, plus restitution payments if convicted.

Most of the 3,000+ individuals arrested at pro-Palestinian demonstrations last year faced misdemeanor charges or had their cases dismissed, according to the New York Times.

Prosecutors said protesters attempted to scrub their involvement by deleting messaging apps from their phones after their arrest. Investigators said they found evidence that they had preemptively surveilled the building, studied security patterns, and assigned specific roles in the break-in.

Police recovered backpacks containing hammers, chisels, crowbars, and goggles from the scene. The damage inside included broken windows, disabled security cameras, and fake blood splashed throughout the offices.

“Whenever you have multiple people working together to commit a crime, it’s much more dangerous to the public,” Rosen stated. “Speech is protected by the First Amendment. Vandalism is prosecuted under the Penal Code.”

Red graffiti appeared on campus buildings the same morning with messages like “Pigs Taste Best Dead” and “Death to Israehell.”

Stanford is among dozens of schools currently under investigation by the Trump administration regarding their handling of anti-Israel protests. The university had previously imposed its own sanctions, including two-quarter suspensions for student protesters.

Rosen emphasized that he does not wish to see the Stanford protesters serve prison time despite the serious charges.

Rather than contending with a lengthy legal battle, Rosen instead proposed sentencing the vandals to community service in the Santa Clara County Sheriff’s work program if they pleaded guilty, where they would clean highways or government buildings.

“This is kind of biblical,” Rosen said. “You trashed a building, so your punishment should be cleaning things up.”

Stanford spokeswoman Dee Mostofi said the university respects Rosen’s charging decisions, noting that Stanford had already imposed its own sanctions on student protesters, including two-quarter suspensions, delays in degree conferrals, and community service hours.