Municipal Court Dismisses Charges Against Pro-Palestinian Princeton Student Protesters

PRINCETON, NJ – The Princeton Municipal Court dismissed trespassing charges against 13 Princeton University students who staged a pro-Palestinian sit-in on campus in April 2024.

On June 17, Prosecutor Christopher Koutsouris moved to drop the defiant trespass charges in exchange for the students completing at least six hours of community service and submitting a letter of apology.

The students were arrested on April 29, 2024, after occupying an office suite in Clio Hall for less than two hours.

The group included five undergraduates, six graduate students, one postdoctoral researcher, and a Princeton Theological Seminary. The students were demanding university divestment from companies linked to Israeli military operations.

In their apology, the students acknowledged causing "undue and unintended emotional harm to the staff at Clio Hall" and expressed regret for "any anxiety and stress caused by our acts of protest against the ongoing war and genocide in Gaza."

The dismissal is "with prejudice," meaning the case cannot be retried and the students' records will be expunged.

The New Jersey chapter of the Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR-NJ) welcomed the dismissal of charges against the students.

CAIR-New Jersey Executive Director Selaedin Maksut praised the court's decision, stating the students were "simply exercising their rights to protest and advocate for justice." He urged universities to protect students' rights to peaceful protest without fear of criminal charges.

“The right to protest and voice dissent is fundamental to the health of any democracy, and we are proud to stand with these students who peacefully raised their voices for Palestinian human rights,” Maksut said.

“We also urge universities and other institutions to protect the rights of students to peacefully protest without fear of retribution, discrimination or criminal charges."

The students' attorney, Aymen Aboushi, said his clients "did not violate the law" and were "exercising their constitutional rights." In their apology letter, the students acknowledged causing "unintended emotional harm" to Clio Hall staff and expressed regret for any anxiety caused by their protest.

The dismissal of charges comes after more than 14 months of legal proceedings, including multiple court appearances, a rejected plea deal, and extensive public support from faculty and staff at Princeton.

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