Pro-Palestinian activist sentenced to 19 years in federal prison for UC Berkeley firebombings

A pro-Palestinian activist was sentenced to 19 years and seven months in federal prison after pleading guilty to firebombing a University of California Police Department patrol car on the Berkeley campus during a June 2024 anti-Israel protest. Casey Robert Goonan, 35, who uses they/them pronouns, pleaded guilty in January to one count of maliciously damaging or destroying property used in or affecting interstate commerce by means of fire or an explosive. Goonan had been in custody since June 17, 2024.

Federal prosecutors described the act as domestic terrorism, noting that the arson was part of a broader set of attacks tied to the protest movement. The attack involved lighting a bag of six explosives beneath the UC Berkeley Police Department patrol car, causing the vehicle to burn. Goonan also attempted to firebomb a federal building and the U.S. Courthouse in Oakland less than two weeks after the Berkeley incident, and set additional fires on the UC Berkeley campus on June 1, June 13, and June 16, 2024.

The attacks were framed by prosecutors as actions inspired by Hamas’s October 7 attack on Israel, with authorities arguing the violence was intended to promote a federal crime of terrorism rather than legitimate protest. In a statement accompanying the sentencing, United States Attorney Craig H Missakian stressed that freedom of expression and peaceful protest are foundational American values, but warned that crossing from peaceful demonstration into violence would be punished.

"Freedom of expression and peaceful protest are deeply enshrined values in America," Missakian said. "Anyone who crosses the line between peaceful protest and violence will be met with the full force of the law." The department cited Goonan’s own statements tying the attacks to Hamas’s actions and urging peers to destroy campus property in support of Palestine.

According to court documents, Goonan told investigators that the June incidents were part of a broader response to the Israel-Hamas conflict and that the fires were intended to intimidate and disrupt university operations. The Department of Justice noted that the attacks threatened lives and property and could have resulted in greater harm had any of the devices functioned more effectively. The defendant described the experience as a reflection on their actions and, in a personal aside, referenced their bipolar disorder and a desire for treatment.

Judge Jeffrey White, presiding over the case in federal court, ordered a sentence of 235 months in federal prison, followed by 15 years of supervised release after release from custody. The court also ordered Goonan to pay $94,267 in damages related to the incidents. In explaining the punishment, the judge characterized the acts as deliberate and dangerous, designed to promote a broader political violence rather than to engage in lawful protest.

Goonan’s remarks to the court included an acknowledgment of the impact of the actions and an appeal for treatment, reflecting the defendant’s stated mental health concerns. The sentencing record shows the defendant had been in custody since mid-June 2024, with ongoing debates about rehabilitation and accountability.

"This domestic terrorist could have taken untold lives had his violent attacks been more successful, and using the evils of Hamas as motivation speaks to his depravity," said Attorney General Pam Bondi in a separate statement issued after the ruling. The Department of Justice reaffirmed its commitment to prosecuting political violence across the United States and to supporting law enforcement efforts to protect students and campus communities from violent acts masquerading as protest.

The case underscores the ongoing tension in universities between expressions of political opinion and actions that cross the line into violence. Authorities said the Berkeley incidents occurred amid a wave of protests on campuses nationwide, but emphasized that the government will pursue legal remedies when individuals resort to property damage or violence in the name of political causes. The sentence, which includes a lengthy period of supervision after release, reflects the judiciary’s approach to stopping the cycle of violence and warning others who might consider similar acts that consequences will follow.

In the broader context of US politics, the case highlights ongoing debates about campus safety, protest rights, and the boundaries of political expression. Prosecutors have repeatedly argued that violent acts—regardless of motive—pose real threats to public safety and undermine the rights of others to participate in lawful demonstrations. While many campus protests remain peaceful and legitimate, the justice system has shown a willingness to pursue severe penalties when violence occurs in the context of political advocacy.