The trial of five Stanford University students began on Monday in Santa Clara County Superior Court, marking the most serious criminal case brought against student protesters involved in nationwide demonstrations against Israel’s war on Ga-za. The students face felony charges linked to a June 2024 protest in which they occupied a campus building to demand that Stanford divest from companies they say are complicit in Israel’s war crimes against Pales-tinians.

The five are part of a larger group of 12 students charged with felony conspiracy to trespass and felony vandalism after barricading themselves for about an hour inside the university president’s office. During the protest, the group called on Stanford to consider a student resolution on divestment from Israel and symbolically renamed the building after Adnan al Bursh, a Pales-tinian surgeon who was reportedly tortured to death while in Israeli detention. The students have all pleaded not guilty.

According to court filings, prosecutors argue that the occupation caused property damage and disrupted university operations. The students reject that characterization, saying the charges are intended to deter future protest activity. One defendant, German Gonzalez, said the case was being used as a warning to others on campus who might speak out. He described the prosecution as a distraction from what the students view as far more serious destruction and loss of life in Ga-za, which they link to Stanford’s investment decisions.

Stanford suspended the students immediately after their arrest and barred them from campus for two academic terms while an internal disciplinary process was underway. That process ultimately found the students in violation of university policy but allowed them to return to campus in the fall. Nearly a year after the protest, and amid political pressure on elite universities over allegations of failing to address antisemitism, Santa Clara County District Attorney Jeff Rosen announced criminal charges in April 2025.

If convicted, the students face the possibility of more than three years in prison. Stanford is also seeking restitution of approximately 329,000 dollars, claiming the protest caused extensive damage to the building. During a press conference, Rosen displayed images of fake blood on documents, a damaged door frame, and other signs of vandalism. However, the university’s facilities director testified that the actual cost of repairs was under 10,000 dollars, according to the Stanford Daily.

The defendants say the restitution demand is vastly inflated and financially devastating. Gonzalez said that while suspended, he and others were forced to sleep in cars or on friends’ couches, and that the restitution amount sought by the university is roughly ten times his family’s annual income. Another defendant, Amy Zhai, said the case has already had a chilling effect on campus, with students afraid to express pro Pales-tinian views in classes and discussions.

The trial is expected to last up to five weeks. The defendants say they intend to use the proceedings to continue drawing attention to the situation in Ga-za and to Stanford’s financial ties, including partnerships with US weapons manufacturer Lockheed Martin. They argue that the case raises broader questions about protest, free expression, and how universities respond when students challenge institutional investments tied to international conflicts.