(J. The Jewish News of Northern California via (JEWISH REVIEW)) — State prosecutors are preparing to drop charges against five current and former Stanford University students accused of felony vandalism during the 2024 occupation of the university president’s office in protest against the war in Gaza.
Each of them will be required to complete 100 hours of community service and pay a combined $52,000 in restitution to the university as part of a deal reached on Sept. 21 with California Attorney General Rob Bonta’s office. The AG’s office confirmed that the restitution has been paid.
In addition this week, the University of Washington in Seattle is preparing to dismiss charges in a similar case. According to the student newspaper, local prosecutors have reportedly entered agreements with all 33 defendants charged with first-degree criminal trespass stemming from a 2025 Gaza protest that also occupied a campus building. The initial charges were filed in March, but prosecutors agreed to drop them if the defendants complete community service and commit no new legal violations.
Two prominent Bay Area Jewish groups decried the outcome of the Stanford prosecution as a “miscarriage of justice,” saying in a joint statement that it “sends the troubling message that politically motivated destruction of property carries minimal legal consequences.”
The statement, released by the Jewish Community Relations Council Bay Area and Jewish Silicon Valley, also lamented that the court hearing at which the students agreed to the offer was held on Yom Kippur, precluding many Jews from attending.
“That a hearing so closely connected to debates over rising antisemitism was made inaccessible to many in the Jewish community demonstrates a lack of sensitivity and cultural competency,” the joint statement reads.
Stanford Hillel’s director, Rabbi Jessica Kirschner, also decried the resolution.
“These students aren’t heroes. They committed serious acts of vandalism and intimidation against the University community,” Kirschner told Haaretz. “They are fortunate that the court gave them a second chance, and I hope that they use this time to reflect on what it means to be a constructive member of a community.”
The Stanford charges were originally brought by the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office, led by Jeff Rosen, who is Jewish. A judge declared a mistrial in February. In May, the defense successfully argued that Rosen and his office should be removed from the case over concerns that he had crossed a legal line when suggesting in campaign messaging that the protesters were antisemitic. California’s attorney general then assumed control of the case.
The case was one of the highest profile prosecutions of students during the 2024 wave of pro-Palestinian protests on college campuses.
In the early morning of June 5, 2024, protesters broke into Building 10, which houses the university president’s office, shattering a window to gain entry to the building. Once inside, the protesters barricaded entrances to the building using tools and furniture, covered security cameras and spattered fake blood around the building.
Thirteen people were arrested following the incident, and 12 were charged with felony vandalism and felony conspiracy to trespass. Seven of them accepted plea deals or diversion programs, leaving the last five to face trial.
Bonta’s office defended the outcome of the case, saying in a statement that the defendants were appropriately held accountable for their actions.
“We believe this outcome serves the best interests of the community and all parties involved,” the statement said.
Following the outcome of the UW resolution, university spokesperson Victor Balta said in a statement to media, “We appreciate the work and attention from the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office on this matter.”
This story was first reported by J. The Jewish News of Northern California and is reprinted with permission.
As the Year Turns, Support the Journalism You Trust. (JEWISH REVIEW) covers the stories shaping Jewish life around the world — with the depth this moment calls for. As you reflect on the year ahead, consider a gift that keeps independent Jewish journalism strong.
