University of North Florida students have been protesting weekly at the downtown jail in support of Conor Cauley, a 30-year-old local activist currently serving a 60-day sentence in jail after a 2025 city council protest.

Some of the students are members of the Jacksonville Students for a Democratic Society (Jax SDS), and are attempting to make enough noise to permeate through the thick concrete walls of the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office Pretrial Detention Facility. They bring chant sheets, megaphones, drums, and enough percussion to let everyone on the block know of their presence.

Felix Bonventre, a UNF student, lifts their megaphone and screams into the mic. “Oink, Oink, piggy piggy, we the people run this city!”

Bonventre looks out at their fellow UNF students standing in front of the towering cement jailhouse, piercing the downtown Jacksonville skyline. Out of the corner of their eye, Bonventre can spy helmeted police officers circling the parking lot across the street on bikes, keeping a watchful eye from behind handlebars.

Quinn Gomez, another UNF student, finishes setting up their snare drum next to the resident bongo player on the stone steps of the tower. The sun is beginning to set, and the fading light casts an orange glow across the courtyard. Members of the Jacksonville Students for Democratic Society (Jax SDS) mill around the area, passing out fliers and chant sheets.

Despite the presence of police, JAX SDS and the Jacksonville Palestine Solidarity Network (JPSN) are not worried about receiving a noise complaint, according to Bonventre. 

“We want Conor to hear us, and to know we are here for him,” said Bonventre.

Cauley and Grady cases draw public attention

On May 27, 2025, Conor Cauley, Leah Grady, another activist and local community organizer, and Teagan Belloit were arrested after causing a “disturbance” during the Jacksonville City Council meeting.

“The three individuals who were arrested refused to leave and resisted, becoming combative with officers,” JSO said in a statement to First Coast News.

Cauley went on trial on May 27, 2026, and was sentenced to 60 days in the Duval County Jail, three years of probation, and 150 hours of community service on charges of battery on an officer and resisting arrest. According to Action News Jax, Cauley’s attorney has filed to overturn his two guilty charges, arguing that since Cauley was protesting, the conviction would set a “damaging precedent for First Amendment rights”, according to Action News Jax. 

Grady was convicted of arresting an officer without violence and sentenced to six months’ probation, according to First Coast News. In a statement to First Coast News, Grady called out the City Council and the JSO for their “politically motivated” injustice. 

“We were singled out that day and, as Sheriff T.K Waters has explicitly called for, our cases have been used to set an example for anyone who stands up against injustices, oppression, and genocide,” Grady said to First Coast News.

JSO Sheriff T.K. Waters defended the arrests, saying in an interview with Action News Jax that there needs to be consequences. “If you continue to signal that it’s going to be a slap on the wrist, all it does is make people want to continue to do those things,” Waters told Action News Jax.

Students address City Council

On May 26, 2026, before Cauley was sentenced, Bonventre and fellow SDS member and UNF student Avery Holbrooke were attending a Jacksonville City Council meeting, with hopes of speaking out for both Cauley and Grady’s sentencing, which were slated for the following day. 

According to Holbrooke, council members scrolled through their phones and paid little mind to the students who spoke out. Holbrooke said the behavior of the city council members served as an example of how Jacksonville’s local government treats its citizens. 

“Their behavior and their words do not convey any sort of respect or care for the people that they’re supposed to be watching over,” Holbrooke said. “If you’re supposed to be making decisions for a community, that community should be important to you.”

Weekly gatherings continue downtown

The front of the pre-trial detention area is lively, with the chant sheet being passed around; Gomez’s snare drum and bongos keep the tempo.

A large folding table is set up with food and free cigarettes, available for the taking. The fading sunlight reflects off the plastic catering containers and juice boxes assembled by the students and community members. According to Dodge, Fridays are when people are released from the pretrial facility, so JPSN sets out the table to welcome them. All are welcome, even Joe Camel.

“As long as you speak what you believe in, there’s going to be people out there that agree with you,” Gomez said. “There’s going to be at least one person. Speak out”

Protests for Cauley continue every Friday at 7 p.m. at the Jacksonville Pre-Trial Detention Facility. 

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