The King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office filed 33 counts of first-degree criminal trespass on March 3 against the “UW33,” a group of students accused of unlawfully entering and damaging a University of Washington building during an anti-Israel demonstration last spring.
The charges stem from the May 5 occupation of the public Seattle university’s Interdisciplinary Engineering Building, organized by the activist group Super UW, which demanded the school sever ties with Boeing over the company’s dealings with Israel. University officials said demonstrators caused approximately $1 million in damage to the building.
Prosecutors stated that the cases were filed in King County District Court following months of investigation in coordination with the University of Washington Police Department.
“We are pleased to see criminal charges filed with the court related to the occupation of the Interdisciplinary Engineering Building,” Victor Balta, a spokesperson for the university, told JNS.
“This is an important step in ensuring accountability for those who perpetrated this occupation, in addition to the suspensions that the students arrested in the building received through the student conduct process,” Balta said. “We value free speech and expression, but also must continue to be a campus community where dangerous, unlawful actions are not tolerated.”
Balta added that the university appreciates the work of prosecutors and law enforcement on what officials described as a complex case involving numerous suspects.
First-degree criminal trespass is a gross misdemeanor under Washington law. Cases involving incidents on the UW campus are handled by county prosecutors rather than the Seattle City Attorney’s Office.
Authorities said felony counts were not filed because investigators could not determine who caused extensive property damage during the protest.
In an Oct. 15 update, UW police said evidence did not support burglary or malicious-mischief charges, citing the lack of eyewitnesses or surveillance footage and no incriminating findings from seized electronic devices.
Police later concluded that misdemeanor trespass charges were supported for individuals who entered the building without authorization. In a Dec. 19 communication, UW police said all investigative leads had been exhausted and that the elements of first-degree criminal trespass had been established for identified suspects.
Felony allegations were initially referred to prosecutors in June 2025 while the investigation was ongoing. After further review, UW police resubmitted the case on Jan. 23, recommending misdemeanor charges. Prosecutors said filing earlier could have interfered with the felony probe.
In January, the university completed its internal conduct hearings and found the “UW33” responsible for certain student code violations, but not for the vandalism itself. The school lifted the students’ suspensions, allowing them to return after serving disciplinary penalties that kept them off campus and out of class for three academic quarters.
Arraignments in the 33 criminal cases are scheduled for March 25 in King County District Court.
