CSU Lecturer Acquitted After Federal Tear Gas Assault Charges in Protest

Jonathan Caravello, a Cal State Channel Islands philosophy lecturer, was found not guilty Thursday of assaulting a federal officer with tear gas during a protest last summer. The charges stemmed from a Ventura County raid on a licensed cannabis farm, where federal agents sought evidence of unlawful employment.

According to prosecutors, agents deployed tear gas to disperse protesters blocking traffic on a narrow road. They claimed Caravello picked up a tear gas canister and threw it back at the agents. But Caravello’s defense attorney, Knut Johnson, presented video evidence showing federal vehicles navigating the road and argued that Caravello threw the canister away from the agents to protect fellow protesters.

The jury deliberated for just two hours before acquitting Caravello. Johnson emphasized that his client never intended to harm anyone and that violence would undermine the cause he supports.

The California Faculty Association, representing CSU faculty, welcomed the verdict as a reaffirmation of the right to peaceful protest. Their statement condemned the broader federal crackdown on immigrants and marginalized communities, framing the case as part of a pattern of government cruelty.

Caravello’s trial highlights ongoing tensions between federal law enforcement and activists standing up against immigration raids and aggressive policing tactics. His acquittal sends a clear message that peaceful resistance is a protected right, even amid harsh government overreach.

This case adds to a growing list of instances where federal agencies have faced scrutiny for heavy-handed tactics during immigration enforcement. It underscores the urgent need for accountability and respect for civil liberties in federal operations affecting vulnerable communities.