Clio Hall Protesters’ Trial Set for April

Thirteen pro-Palestinian protesters are set to head to trial to face trespassing charges in municipal court on April 14, almost exactly one year after occupying Clio Hall last spring.

The trial, which is expected to last three days, was scheduled at a virtual hearing on Jan. 14, after it became clear that the parties could not agree on a proposed plea deal.

At the hearing, Aymen Aboushi, the defendants’ lawyer, said an agreement was reached with municipal prosecutor Christopher Koutsouris and Judge John McCarthy III ’69 on Dec. 6 at a private meeting: Charges would be dismissed against 12 individuals in exchange for community service, while the last defendant would be offered a conditional discharge with the option to go to trial.

That lone defendant wasn’t named, but later that day, graduate student Aditi Rao posted on X that she had received a call the day prior “saying that I either plead guilty to trespassing in a room I have all legal rights to be in or 12 comrades face full trial with me … but my friends and I believe in solidarity.”

Rao linked to a petition by Princeton Israeli Apartheid Divest that “demand[s] that Princeton drop the charges.” As of Feb. 6, it had 1,354 signatories. Aboushi said University counsel was on board with the resolution proposed on Dec. 6, but the University is not a party of the case.

Koutsouris said the state had not reversed course since the December meeting, and that he had been expecting a plea by one person, which didn’t happen. The prosecution wants the person who committed “the most egregious conduct” to take responsibility, Koutsouris said, but he could make a case against all the defendants.

Aboushi motioned to resolve 12 of the cases, and though McCarthy said he would take it under advisement, he inquired about potential trial dates directly afterward.

The trial is scheduled to take place in person at Princeton Municipal Court, though McCarthy said he would consider allowing two defendants who have moved out of state to appear virtually.