OLYMPIA — Sen. Matt Boehnke, R-Kennewick, released the following statement after 33 people charged with first-degree criminal trespass following the May 2025 occupation of the University of Washington’s Interdisciplinary Engineering Building entered stipulated orders of continuance. Under the agreements, the charges can be dismissed after 12 months if the defendants meet certain requirements, including community service and avoiding new legal violations.

“What happened at the University of Washington was not simply a protest. People took over a university building, barricaded entrances and caused more than $1 million in damage. Thirty-three people were arrested inside.

“Now they have a path to having the charges dismissed without a conviction or jail time. That’s not much of a consequence for what happened.

“I understand the problem prosecutors faced. Investigators could not determine who was responsible for each act of vandalism, which meant prosecutors did not believe they could prove the felony property-damage charges in court. But we shouldn’t just shrug our shoulders and accept that as the end of the story.

“There is a clear difference between peaceful protest and taking over a public building. Free speech does not give anyone a license to barricade a building, destroy property or put other people at risk.

“If our laws aren’t equipped to deal with a group of people who take over a building and leave behind more than $1 million in damage because prosecutors can’t prove who broke what, then we need to take a hard look at those laws.

“Washington taxpayers paid for that building. Students and faculty use it. They have every right to expect the state to protect it. Protest all you want. Speak out. Make your case. But when you cross the line into taking over public property and breaking the law, there should be consequences.”

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