California drops charges against Stanford students over protest

Felony conspiracy and vandalism charges against five Stanford protesters will be dismissed under a diversion agreement with the California Attorney General’s Office, provided each completes 100 hours of community service. The defendants have already paid Stanford $51,973.37 in restitution, far below earlier damage estimates ranging from roughly $329,000 to $1 million. The case arose from a June 2024 occupation and vandalism of the university president’s office during protests demanding divestment from companies linked to Israel’s war in Gaza. A trial ended in a hung jury, and Santa Clara County District Attorney Jeff Rosen was barred from retrying the case after a judge found that his campaign fundraising materials and public comments created a conflict of interest. The agreement resolves the cases of the five defendants who went to trial, while other members of the broader protest group had previously reached separate plea or diversion deals; Stanford said it would not challenge the outcome.