EUGENE, OR – The Civil Liberties Defense Center (CLDC) reported last week that Salem Younes, a Palestinian-American college student, and K. Anton, a Lebanese-American human rights activist, were found not guilty by a Lane County Circuit Court jury in Eugene, Oregon.
The CLDC reported the two activists faced charges of disorderly conduct in the second degree after participating in the Global Day of Action on April 15, 2024.
According to the CLDC, the protest was organized to draw attention to what organizers described as “an ongoing genocide” in Palestine and U.S. complicity in providing “over 70 percent of the weapons used by Israel in its military campaigns.”
Out of 62 individuals arrested and charged in connection with the protest, Younes and Anton are the first to secure acquittals, according to CLDC.
According to the CLDC. during the trial, Anton testified about the harms facing people in Southwest Asia, including Palestine and Lebanon, where their family resides, telling the jury, “Americans have a particular duty to stand up against government complicity in the war crimes that Israel is responsible for.”
Younes emphasized the urgency of the protest in calling attention to the “devastating realities faced by Palestinians,” including their family members living in Palestine, according to the CLDC.
Lauren Regan, the accused’s attorney and Director of Litigation & Advocacy at the CLDC, thanked the jury, noting, “The jury came to the just and right outcome.”
The CLDC stated that, before the trial, the defense attempted to argue a necessity defense, which justified civil disobedience to prevent greater harm. Dr. Michael Fakhri, U.N. Special Rapporteur on the right to food, testified that the Israeli government’s actions amounted to intentional starvation of Palestinian civilians.
The CLDC also reported that Dr. Stan Taylor, a political science professor, discussed the U.S. history of political movements opposing war.
While the court disallowed this defense, the defendants testified about many of the same issues during the trial, the CLDC explained.
Community support played a significant role throughout the case, the CLDC said, noting that “community members filled the courtroom in a show of solidarity,” demonstrating the widespread backing for the defendants.
The CLDC argued the case reflects a broader trend of criminalizing dissent and targeting individuals who oppose systemic injustices, noting the importance of these acquittals in protecting civil liberties and drawing attention to human rights violations.
