Gainesville Eight were a group of anti-Vietnam War activists indicted on charges of conspiracy to disrupt the 1972 Republican National Convention in Miami Beach , Florida . All eight defendants were acquitted . Vietnam Veterans Against the War had planned to demonstrate against the ongoing Vietnam War during the convention . After learning from FBI informants and agents within the VVAW about possible plans for disruption and violence , the Department of Justice initiated a grand jury investigation . Eight of the people investigated were indicted by the government on charges of conspiracy to disrupt the convention : John Briggs , Scott Camil , Alton Foss , John Kniffin , Peter Mahoney , Stanley Michelson , William Patterson , and Don Perdue . All but Briggs were Vietnam veterans
1972 Republican National Convention
1972 Republican National Convention
Gainesville Eight