More than a year and a half after a group of pro-Palestinian activists were accused of causing extensive property damage at Stanford University's executive offices, five of the original defendants are set to stand trial next month on felony vandalism charges. The five defendants proceeding to trial are Maya Burke, German Gonzalez, Taylor McCann, Hunter Taylor Black and Amy Zhai. The rest of original 12 defendants have entered a court-supervised mental health diversion program that allows them to avoid criminal prosecution.
The protest comes in the wake of a tentative ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas, brokered with international mediators, under which hostages are to be released and Israeli military operations paused. Still, protesters argue that a formal agreement alone is not enough. Many are demanding full implementation of the ceasefire terms, a complete withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza, and the release of all Palestinian detainees.
Britain's Metropolitan Police arrested 857 peoplefor "showing support" for Palestine Action, an activist group thatthe government designated under the Terrorism Act in July. In doing so, the government made it a crime to wear an item of clothing, or display or carry something that might "arouse reasonable suspicion" that one is a member or supporter of the group. The penalty is prison time, a fine, or both.
