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The office of Humboldt County District Attorney Stacey Eads has decided not to prosecute a majority of the protesters who were arrested during or after a multi-agency law enforcement raid at Cal Poly Humboldt on May April 30.
In emailed responses to questions from the Outpost, Eads said her office received a group of referrals from Cal Poly Humboldt’s University Police Department (UPD) requesting charges against 39 people, but after evaluating the cases her office rejected 27 of the 39 referrals “based upon insufficient evidence to prove a crime beyond a reasonable doubt and/or interests of justice grounds.”
The other 12 cases remain pending, but they’ve been referred back to the UPD for “further investigation, information and/or documentation,” Eads said. These charging decisions were first reported by the North Coast Journal earlier today.
At least 35 activists were arrested on campus after more than a week of demonstrating in support of Palestine. Protest activities included the occupation and barricading of Siemens Hall and the application of graffiti across campus, including inside the office of then-University President Tom Jackson.
While the demonstrators defended their actions on free speech grounds, university administrators accused the activists of “lawless behavior,” including theft, vandalism and trespassing, and they issued a hard closure of campus after a failed initial attempt to break up the demonstration.
Last week, an independent review of law enforcement’s April 30 response to the campus demonstrations found that the UPD, in particular, showed a lack of effective planning and command.
The protest at Cal Poly Humboldt was among a nationwide wave of campus demonstrations in support of Palestine.
In the wake of the local police raid, Cal Poly Humboldt’s faculty union condemned the arrests as a “dangerous escalation” in response to “a peaceful campus demonstration.”
But others, including California Sen. Mike McGuire and Assemblyman Jim Wood, said the arrests were justified in light of the vandalism, destruction of school property and antisemitic hate speech.
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PREVIOUSLY:
- Law Enforcement Showed a ‘Lack of Effective Planning and Command’ Responding to Cal Poly Humboldt Protests, Independent Review Finds
- Multiple Law Enforcement Agencies on CPH Campus This Morning; Solidarity March Planned; Commencement Ceremony Status Uncertain
- In New Statement, Cal Poly Humboldt Says It Supports Free Speech But Decries ‘Lawless Behavior,’ Disruption of Education and Damages Estimated in the Millions
- Cal Poly Humboldt Issues Hard Closure of Campus; Law Enforcement Converges
- DAY FIVE: Protesters Open Cal Poly Humboldt’s Siemens Hall After Day of Tension Waiting For a Raid That Has Yet to Come
- DAY FOUR: Occupy Cal Poly Humboldt Protester Details Group’s Demands, Motivations and Views on President Tom Jackson, Law Enforcement and Their Campus Impact
- Cal Poly Humboldt Faculty Pass Vote of No Confidence in President Tom Jackson Amid Ongoing Student Protest
- DAY THREE: (PHOTOS) Student Protesters List Demands, Expand Graffiti Messaging and Voice Camaraderie on Third Day of Cal Poly Humboldt Campus Occupation
- Cal Poly Humboldt Says Campus Will be Closed Through at Least the Weekend Due to Ongoing Pro-Palestine Protests
- DAY TWO: The Morning After Cops Clash With Student Protesters, CPH Campus is Closed, Occupied Building Barricaded
- Legendary Rebellious Rapper Chuck D’s Cal Poly Humboldt Event Canceled By In-Progress, On-Campus Rebellion
- DAY ONE: Major Pro-Palestine Protests at Cal Poly Humboldt Provoke Massive Police Response; Protesters Occupy Siemens Hall; Reports of Violent Force Between Activists and Law Enforcement