first on fox – A moment of patriotism University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill The campus captured the nation’s attention Tuesday.
Anti-Israel protesters successfully replaced the American flag on the square in Chapel Hill on Tuesday morning – which was later flown at half-staff Four Charlotte officers killed In the Line of Duty Monday – Responded with law enforcement officers to return the American flag to its place alongside the Palestinian flag in front of UNC Chancellor Lee Roberts.
Activists, some of whom were not affiliated with the country’s first public university, attempted to tear it down a second time, but faced resistance from a small group of students.
“Today was a sad but powerful day in Chapel Hill,” student Guillermo Estrada, Class of 2027, said in a Tuesday post on X. I was immediately disturbed by the actions of these ‘protesters’. I can’t say I’m completely educated on the Israel/Palestine conflict, but it bothered me that my country’s flag was disrespected to advocate for another.”
UNC Chapel Hill students hold the American flag during a campus protest Tuesday, April 30, 2024. During the demonstration, anti-Israel protesters replaced the American flag with the Palestinian flag. (Parker Ali/The Daily Tar Heel)
Estrada said that Chancellor Roberts and the officials who first changed the flag were “treated with foul language, middle fingers were thrown, bottles, rocks and water were thrown.” Video circulated on social media showed a group of students singing the national anthem and chanting “USA” as the American flag was returned to the pole.
Estrada continued, “When the flag was raised once again, the Greek community began singing the national anthem. As the Chancellor left, chaos broke out in the quad as protesters began removing the flag once again, and Were preparing to destroy.” “My fraternity brothers and others ran to catch it, so that it could not touch the ground. People started throwing water bottles, stones, sticks at us, calling us unholy names. We waved at the flag for an hour. Stand to protect. Fight to protect.”
Anti-Israel protesters replace the American flag with the Palestinian flag during a demonstration on the University of North Carolina’s Chapel Hill campus on Tuesday, April 30, 2024. (Heather Diehl/The Daily Tar Heel)
Estrada explained that he comes from an immigrant family and a “military community” where he “has seen firsthand the sacrifices they have to make.”
“I will not tolerate the insults of these ‘protesters’ for the sake of another country,” Estrada wrote. “My LDOC will be memorable knowing that my fraternity brothers and others fought to keep the flag flying high. But it was also memorable knowing that so many people are eager to disrespect it.”
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The student’s post went viral, garnering over 25,000 likes by Monday morning. A barricade has since been installed around the flagpole.
The U.S. flag is surrounded by a temporary barrier at Polk Place at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill, North Carolina on May 1, 2024. ((Photo by Sean Rayford/Getty Images))
Chancellor Roberts told wral “This flag will stay up as long as I’m chancellor,” he said in a live broadcast of the protest, according to The Carolina Journal. First reported.
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“Let students know that we will keep them safe from minority students who want to disrupt their experience. This university is for everyone,” he said.
There were rumors that the encampment at Chapel Hill would be cleared by police on Sunday night, but this did not happen. (Maquia Seminara)
The university confirmed on Tuesday that around 30 protesters were detained after they reportedly refused to give up their occupation of the Quad despite receiving a statement from university administrators asking them to vacate the site by 6 am. Were asked to do so or face expulsion.
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At 6 a.m., UNC police “peacefully approached the group and detained approximately 30 people who refused to leave. During that time, protesters attempted to block UNC police vehicles by standing in front of them and throwing items at officers. Polk Place was cleared “Within approximately 45 minutes, UNC Facilities removed significant debris from the area,” the university said in a statement.
The university added, “After the area was cleared, the remaining protesters escalated their tactics, attempting to force entry into the South Building by pushing off officers and refusing to comply with requests from Facilities and UNC Police.”
Tents were erected on Chapel Hill’s quad following a protest Sunday night urging the university to disclose and divest from investments with Israel. (Maquia Seminara)
“Over the past several months, we have spoken regularly and respectfully with protesters on our campus, consistently supporting their right to assemble and express their views. We have maintained the University’s longstanding policies on the use of shared public spaces. Roberts and Provost Chris Clemens said in their statement, “We have been clear that students and community members can gather and make their voices heard, but abide by university policies. should go.”
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Chapel Hill’s school-wide alert system, Alert Carolina, issued a “critical” advisory Tuesday informing students that classes and non-essential activities were canceled at noon.
Tuition at the typical public university is less than $9,000 for North Carolina residents and less than $40,000 for out-of-state students.
The protests in Chapel Hill came as students from elite schools across the country demonstrated against Israel and in support of Gaza amid the ongoing war in the Middle East, with activists setting up camps on campuses, occupying buildings , struggled with law enforcement and resisted arrest. The protests began at Columbia University and have since spread to schools across the country from Massachusetts to Tennessee, Texas For California.
