Nearly a dozen protesters at Case Western Reserve University have been ordered to pay over $350,000 in restitution after being charged in connection with vandalism during an anti‑Israel demonstration. The settlement comes through a legal diversion agreement that may clear criminal records if conditions are met—and some face ongoing university discipline.
In February 2025, an Ohio grand jury indicted 11 participants in a November 2024 protest on allegations they dumped and smeared gallons of red paint over several buildings, walkways, an electrical pole, outdoor furniture, and on a statue of a former professor—inflicting approximately $400,000 in damage.
Under a resolution negotiated with the Cuyahoga County prosecutor’s office, the defendants submitted restitution exceeding $350,000 as part of a pre‑trial diversion program. If they satisfy all agreed mandates, their criminal records will be expunged.
Despite the legal agreement, three of the individuals still face expulsion proceedings through the university’s own conduct system running in parallel to the criminal case.
Supporters of the protesters, referencing the group as “CWRU 11,” accuse the system of coercion, stating the financial penalty is a tool to “scare us into silence.” They also dispute the $400,000 damage figure as inflated.
This case underscores a sharp message: political expression on campus does not shield individuals from consequences when property damage is involved. Free speech rights do not extend to destructive actions. University and legal systems are signaling that decorum, civil discourse, and respect for campus property remain enforceable standards.
