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California
Political repression plays out state by state — shaped by local institutions, prosecutors, and movements for defense. These are the documented political prisoners and cases the census holds for California.
1,526Documented
39In custody
898Released
17Awaiting trial
Eras of repression in California
Where California’s entries fall across the census’s historical eras.
1930s 354
1970s 205
1960s 198
1910s 174
2020s 131
1980s 90
Recent dashboard entries from California
The newest published events and reporting located in California, updated automatically from the live dashboard.
Other
Whistleblower alleges FBI targeted Los Angeles anti-ICE protesters
Prosecution
Charges dropped against five Stanford students over pro-Palestine protest
Prosecution
Judge dismisses all charges against the Stud Alley 18 arrested during San Francisco Pride weekend
Protest
Two injured at Teamsters protest outside Amazon warehouse; sheriff says motorcyclist intentionally struck crowd
Other
Five invited reporters held at gunpoint by Vandenberg Space Force Base security
Other
Photojournalist Steven Berumen shoved by federal officers while covering an LA immigration protest
Prosecution
Anti-ICE protester accused of pouring lighter fluid on CHP car is sentenced to prison
Prosecution
Westlake man sentenced for anti-ICE protest actions
Documented cases
1,526 entries in the census — every one stays in the record, whether the case is open or closed.
Ruchell Magee
Released
Ruchell "Cinque" Magee (born Ruchell Lewis, 1939–2023) was one of the longest-held prisoners in U.S. history,...
Ricardo Flores Magón
Released
Ricardo Flores Magón was a Mexican anarchist journalist and revolutionary organizer whose writing and organizi...
Joseph Maizlish
Released
Joseph Maizlish was a Los Angeles draft resister who declined a graduate-student deferment and refused Selecti...
Chuck Malone
Released
Chuck Malone was a San Francisco-based Irish republican activist who became a long-running figure in U.S. inve...
Albert Maltz
Released
Albert Maltz, an award-winning short-story writer, novelist and screenwriter was one of the “Hollywood Ten,” t...
Michael Henry Marcus
Released
Michael Henry Marcus was an anti-nuclear protester and Berkeley Free Speech Movement participant who later bec...
Adrian Andrew Martinez
Awaiting Trial
Adrian Andrew Martinez was a 20-year-old United States citizen and Walmart employee in Pico Rivera, California...
Mario Martinez
Released
Mario Martinez was one of Los Siete de la Raza, a group of young Latino men from the Mission District of San F...
Tony Martinez
Released
Tony Martinez was one of Los Siete de la Raza, a group of young Latino men from the Mission District of San Fr...
Keith Mather
Released
Keith Mather was a U.S. Army private and one of the leaders of the "Presidio 27," the stockade prisoners at th...
Anthony Mathews
Released
Lance Corporal Anthony Mathews was one of the Camp Pendleton 14, Black Marines arrested and jailed after confr...
James McClain
Released
San Quentin prisoner on trial for allegedly assaulting a guard when Jonathan Jackson entered the Marin County...
Eric McDavid
Released
Eric McDavid is a green anarchist who organized as part of an environmentalist group consisting of Zach Jenso...
Pete McEvoy
Released
Pete McEvoy was an iron molder from San Jose, California. Pete McEvoy was convicted at the mass IWW trial in C...
Ricky McGivery
Released
Black Marine, one of the 'Camp Pendleton 14' charged with assault and conspiracy over an alleged Nov. 13, 1976...
Keith McHenry
Released
Keith McHenry is an American activist and co-founder of Food Not Bombs, a global all-volunteer movement that r...
Juanita McKamey
Juanita McKamey was an Industrial Workers of the World activist in the San Diego free speech fight. Police arr...
Phil McLaughlin
Released
Phil McLaughlin was an IWW officer from Sacramento, California. Phil McLaughlin was convicted at the mass IWW...
James B. McNamara
Released
James B. McNamara was an Iron Workers' union militant and the brother of John J. McNamara. He placed the dynam...
John J. McNamara
Released
John J. McNamara was the secretary-treasurer of the International Association of Bridge and Structural Iron Wo...
Robert Meisenbach
Released
Robert Meisenbach was a University of California student charged with felony assault with a deadly weapon — ac...
Danilo Melendez
Released
Danilo Melendez was one of Los Siete de la Raza, a group of young Latino men from the Mission District of San...
Arthur G. Melville
Released
Arthur G. Melville was one of the D.C. Nine, who entered Dow Chemical’s Washington offices on March 22, 1969 a...
C. Meyer (Sonoma County labor raid, 1935)
C. Meyer was captured in town with George Ford and Jack Green during the Sonoma County anti-labor vigilante ra...
Institutions in California
Prisons, jails, and detention centers in California that appear in the census’s case files.
San Quentin State PrisonSan Quentin, California
171 cases
Federal Bureau of Prisons
60 cases
Sharp Park Detention CampSharp Park, California
33 cases
Presidio StockadeSan Francisco, California
27 cases
Los Angeles County JailLos Angeles, California
26 cases
Folsom State PrisonFolsom, California
22 cases
San Quentin Rehabilitation CenterSan Quentin, California
16 cases
San Diego County JailSan Diego, California
13 cases