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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.
L
Larry Angel
Larry Angel was arrested at a San Francisco election meeting in Jefferson Park in 1934. The Western Worker rep...
C
Charles White
Charles White was a Western Worker salesman arrested in San Francisco after an armed confrontation on November...
B
Ben Ambrose
Ben Ambrose was jailed with farm-labor organizer Frank Salas in Riverside County, California, in 1934. A Novem...
M
Mike Rivera
Mike Rivera was a prisoner in Riverside County Jail, California, in 1934. A November 12 Western Worker report...
J
Joe Gomez
Joe Gomez was a prisoner in Riverside County Jail, California, in 1934. A November 12 Western Worker report na...
D
Donald Bigham
Donald Bigham was a young Communist organizer and one of the defendants imprisoned in Sacramento’s 1934 crimin...
J
Jack Warnecke
Jack Warnecke was one of the Sacramento defendants imprisoned during the 1934 criminal-syndicalism prosecution...
N
N. A. Rumaz
N. A. Rumaz was held in Monterey County Jail on a vagrancy charge in 1934. A November 16 Western Worker report...
F
Frank Ruiz
Frank Ruiz was a prisoner at San Quentin serving a reported five-year sentence. A November 1934 Western Worker...
J
James McShann
Released
James McShann was an unemployed-workers’ organizer imprisoned at Lincoln Heights Jail in Los Angeles. A contem...
J
Joseph Toth
Joseph Toth was an unemployed-workers’ organizer imprisoned at Lincoln Heights Jail in Los Angeles. A contempo...
D
Dan Delaney
Dan Delaney was identified by the National No-Nukes Prison Support Collective as one of two Sacramento Catholi...
B
Brian Flagg
Brian Flagg was identified by the National No-Nukes Prison Support Collective as one of two Sacramento Catholi...
C
Chris Delaney
Chris Delaney was individually named in a contemporary report of the April 9, 1982 anti-nuclear blockade at Ma...
T
Thea Baker-Flagg
Thea Baker-Flagg was individually named in a contemporary report of the April 9, 1982 anti-nuclear blockade at...
B
Barbara Weidner
Barbara Weidner was individually named in a contemporary report of the April 9, 1982 anti-nuclear blockade at...
F
Fatima Erickson
Fatima Erickson was individually named in a contemporary report of the April 9, 1982 anti-nuclear blockade at...
A
Arnold Erickson
Arnold Erickson was individually named in a contemporary report of the April 9, 1982 anti-nuclear blockade at...
B
Benton Doug Bert
Benton Doug Bert was one of four people whom The Anvil identified as jailed in San Bernardino for six months w...
A
Andrea Holman Bert
Andrea Holman Bert was one of four people whom The Anvil identified as jailed in San Bernardino for six months...
J
Jean Hobson
Jean Hobson was one of four people whom The Anvil identified as jailed in San Bernardino for six months while...
B
Bob Seabock
Bob Seabock was one of four people whom The Anvil identified as jailed in San Bernardino for six months while...
F
Fern Feldman
Fern Feldman was individually named among anti-nuclear demonstrators arrested during the June 10–18, 1983 Vand...
M
Margo Nelson
Margo Nelson was individually named among anti-nuclear demonstrators arrested during the June 10–18, 1983 Vand...
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