Twelve Protesters Charged with Felonies Over Stanford Administration Building Break-In

Santa Clara County prosecutors announced felony vandalism and conspiracy charges against protesters involved in the June 2024 occupation, marking one of the most severe legal responses to campus activism in California.

Twelve individuals, including current and former Stanford students, face felony charges for vandalism and conspiracy stemming from a break-in at Stanford's administration building on June 5, 2024.
Prosecutors allege the protesters caused $250,000 in damages, including broken windows, disabled security cameras, and graffiti on the historic building's exterior.
The occupation was part of a broader pro-Palestinian movement demanding Stanford divest from financial ties to Israel, with participants citing the university's perceived complicity in violence in Gaza.
The charges represent one of the most serious legal actions taken against campus protesters in California, underscoring escalating tensions between student activism and institutional responses.
This follows the March 2025 decision not to prosecute student journalist Dilan Gohill, who was arrested while covering the protest but was later cleared after advocacy from First Amendment groups.

San Francisco Chronicle