Two individuals hug during a prayer on Friday, April 26, 2024. During the "Gaza Solidarity Encampment" at UNC Chapel Hill people gathered on Polk Place to observe Passover.
Protesters continue to occupy Polk Place, erecting tents for the second time on the evening of Sunday, April 28, 2024 in direct opposition to university policy.
UNC Police Officers force protesters to leave the encampment in the early hours of Tuesday, April 30. If protesters chose not to leave by 6
Protesters link arms in unity to try and protect the Palestinian flag they erected on the Quad.
UNC Police Officer Rahsheem Holland pulls a girl by her hair off a group of protesters who replaced the American flag with a Palestinian flag on Polk Place after the "Triangle Gaza Solidarity Encampment" had been removed by police and arrests were made earlier on the morning of April 30, 2024.
Interim Chancellor Lee Roberts holds the American flag up while surrounded by UNC police who pushed protesters back and deployed pepper spray to enable them to put the American flag back up.
Police shout at protestors to back away from the flag pole on Tuesday, April 30.
Interim Chancellor Lee Roberts shakes hands with counter-protesters on Tuesday, April 30 after raising the U.S. flag at Polk Place and taking down the Palestine flag.
After arrests were made at the "Gaza Solidarity Encampment" protesters took to the steps of South Building to continue their protest on the morning of Tuesday, April 30, 2024.
Students play spikeball and take grad photos on Polk Place where gates surround the American flag on May 8, 2024.
Hundreds gather in support of Palestine outside of South Building on Sunday, April 28, 2024.
Pro-Palestine protesters put their hands in red paint outside of South Building on Saturday, May 11, 2024.
A pro-Palestinian protester leaves red handprints on South Building on Saturday, May 11, 2024.
A pro-palestinian protester placed their UNC graduation regalia covered in red paint on the university seal to symbolize the blood on UNC's hands after the university did not comply with protesters pleas to divest.
On Saturday, May 11 tents were erected at South Building in solidarity with Palestine and were seen by graduates and their families who passed by to Kenan Memorial Stadium where UNC held its spring commencement ceremony.
Hundreds of pro-Palestine protesters march through Chapel Hill on Sunday, May 5, 2024.
A counter protester with a sign that reads "Jesus Saves" and a speaker playing music passes in front of several hundred pro-Palestine protesters on campus on Thursday, Sept. 19, 2024.
A pro-Palestine protester vandalizes the ROTC building on Sept. 19., 2024 during a student led walkout calling on the University to divest.
UNC's chapter of Students for Justice for Palestine pose for portraits showing their solidarity for Palestine on Saturday, Aug. 17, 2024. Students concealed their identity out of fear of being doxxed.
UNC's chapter of Students for Justice for Palestine pose for portraits showing their solidarity for Palestine on Saturday, Aug. 17, 2024. Students concealed their identity out of fear of being doxxed.
On Friday, April 26 pro-Palestinian protesters began an encampment on Polk Place at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill's campus. They deconstructed their tents later that day to comply with University policy, but later put them back up on Sunday, April 28, following a rally and march that gathered hundreds of demonstrators. During the encampment protesters passed time educating each other about the history of Palestine, praying, creating signs and building community.
At approximately 5:30 a.m. on Tuesday, April 30, UNC administrators warned the group to remove the tents by 6 a.m. or face possible suspension, expulsion or arrest. When they did not comply, thirty individuals were detained and six were arrested. All were later released. Police and UNC Facilities workers cleared Polk Place and put up metal barriers surrounding the grass.
UNC Students for Justice in Palestine hosted a vigil and march later that day. Some protesters pushed down the barriers, entering the grassy area, following the march. They then took down the American flag at the center of the Quad and raised the Palestinian flag in its place.
Soon after, UNC interim Chancellor Lee Roberts led a group of law enforcement officers onto Polk Place toward the flagpole. Police and protesters clashed as Roberts and the law enforcement officers again raised the American flag. Police were seen pulling and dragging a protester by their hair. Demonstrators sprayed water and threw water bottles at police. The police deployed pepper spray against demonstrators several times.
Many counter-protesters were present at the scene, expressing support for Roberts and the police as they raised the American flag. Police then escorted Roberts away from Polk Place. Roberts stood in front of South Building where he spoke to counter-protesters and members of the media. The rest of the police force entered Gerrard Hall. Several students with Israeli and American flags remained at the center of the Quad, keeping the American flag from touching the ground.
Protests continued in the coming days as UNC's graduation day approached. On Saturday, May 11 "The People's Graduation" was held off campus at the Peace and Justice Plaza. After the ceremony pro-Palestine protesters marched around campus stopping at the Bell Tower to erect tents. Demonstrators then moved to South Building where they threw balloons of red paint and vandalized the building with red hand prints, sharpie and drawings of Roberts that called him a pig. They shouted that UNC has blood on its hands.
