Anti-Israel demonstrators gathered on the campus of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill on Saturday ahead of commencement ceremonies.
According to ABC 11, the protest took place at the Peace and Justice Plaza on campus, where the campus chapter of Students for Justice in Palestine celebrated suspended seniors who participated in the UNC protests.
“We know that the Palestinian liberation movement is guided by sacrifice and a deep love for its people,” UNC Students for Justice in Palestine posted on Instagram. “The amnesty for our students is tied to the unwavering fight against Palestinian genocide, and we You are invited to join us in bringing the university back together. Bring your joy.”
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Protesters place a red handprint on the Chancellor’s Building at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill on Saturday, May 11, 2024. (Image direct from Fox News Digital Edition)
After the festivities ended, the group carried picket signs and tents across campus to the Morehead-Patterson Bell Tower near Kenan Memorial Stadium, hours before the 7 p.m. commencement ceremony.
Protesters marched to the South Building, where the prime minister’s office is located, some chanting slogans, others throwing red paint on the stairs and leaving red handprints on pillars. Some protesters also used chalk to write on the building.
Dozens of protesters gathered on the lawn surrounding the old well and began chanting while students and family members took graduation photos. Demonstrators then held a 15-minute silence to remember the thousands of people killed in Gaza since Hamas terrorists attacked Israel in October, leading to military retaliation by Israeli forces.
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The steps of the Chancellor’s Building at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill are covered in red paint on Saturday, May 11, 2024. (Image direct from Fox News Digital Edition)
“There are a lot of students who have been abused and arrested and won’t be able to graduate today,” student protester Samuel Scarborough said at the demonstration. “Students are banned from campus. So their response is that everything No more business as usual, no justice, no peace.”
Alicia Buckminster, a UNC graduate, said: “As UNC graduates, we have said goodbye to the 2020 commencement ceremony in high school. So, I just hope and pray Tonight we are able to graduate as a class and celebrate it in the right way.”
Police later drove the protesters away from the area.
University police stand guard in front of the Chancellor’s Building at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill on Saturday, May 11, 2024. (Image direct from Fox News Digital Edition)
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The protest came after a recent demonstration sparked clashes between anti-Israel protesters and law enforcement officers at an encampment set up in Polk Square. The university said 36 protesters were detained for failing to comply with orders to disperse.
Six protesters detained at Polk Square were arrested and charged with trespassing and later released on written promises to appear in court. Three of the protesters arrested were UNC students and three were not affiliated with the university.
