Days after a new academic year began at UNC-Chapel Hill, pro-Palestinian protesters returned to the area of campus that saw dozens arrested in the spring — ushering in what could be a tense semester at the university as the Israel-Hamas war continues.
The campus chapter of Students for Justice for Palestine on Thursday evening hosted a “disorientation” event, drawing dozens of demonstrators. They gathered outside of South Building, which houses the offices of newly appointed Chancellor Lee Roberts and other administrators, with a portable surveillance camera overlooking them.
“While UNC performs business as usual in the first week of classes, join us for a Disorientation to the imperialism and violence that administration defends,” an Instagram post promoting the event read. “Admin’s repression of organizing will not hinder the demand for divestment, and the call for a Free Palestine.”
Thursday’s protest marked the first campus demonstration over the war since tensions came to a head in the spring, with a four-day “Gaza solidarity encampment” that saw 36 protesters charged with trespassing after they refused to comply with orders from police to disband the gathering.
All of those charged at the encampment have been offered plea deals ranging from deferred prosecution to a conditional discharge, according to their attorney. They are expected to appear in court, where they could accept or decline the deals, on Monday.
Pro-Palestinian demonstrators also protested before and during the university’s graduation speech in May, with some splattering red paint on South Building. UNC police obtained a search warrant for private account information of the UNC Students for Justice for Palestine Instagram account in connection with those events.
But Thursday’s event, which lasted for a little less than two hours, remained peaceful. A handful of organizers stood on the steps of South Building to give speeches on topics from the war in Gaza, to other countries facing similar conflicts, to the history of student activism and protests at UNC. No counter-protesters appeared to be present.
Since the war in Gaza began, SJP has called on UNC to disclose and divest from investments it holds in companies supporting Israel and to end study-abroad programs to Israel, among other demands.
The war started last October when Hamas, which has controlled the Gaza Strip since 2007, launched a terrorist attack that killed more than 1,200 Israeli civilians, with 240 hostages being taken. The Gaza Health Ministry says more than 40,000 Palestinians have been killed in the war as of Aug. 15, Reuters reported.
Jacob Ginn, an SJP member, told The News & Observer prior to the demonstration Thursday that “it’s in the university’s interest to meet our demands.”
“We’re gonna stay out here, and we’re gonna keep protesting and keep pushing the university until they are met,” Ginn said.
University reminds students of free-speech policies
Roberts, who served as interim chancellor during the spring semester and was named to the job permanently about two weeks ago, has taken a different approach to campus protests from that of other college administrators around the country. When protesters pulled down the American flag after April’s arrests and replaced it with a Palestinian one, Roberts led police in restoring it — gaining national attention in the process.
He has repeatedly emphasized, including on the day he was named chancellor, that the university supports students’ right to protest, but they must follow the law and university policy when doing so.
“We have some very reasonable, very easy to follow rules when it comes to protests: Please don’t vandalize our historic buildings. You can’t turn the quad into a private campground. And please don’t threaten, harass or intimidate students, employees or staff,” Roberts told reporters after accepting the job. “As long as everyone can stay within those, again, very reasonable rules, I think we’ll have a terrific semester.”
Administrators in recent days took additional steps to remind students and others on campus of their First Amendment rights, as well as university policies on free expression, sending campus-wide emails with reminders and a link to a new “Free Speech at Carolina” website.
“On this we want to be clear: No one person’s freedom of expression is more important than another person’s right to learn, work or speak free from harassment and discrimination. Civic engagement and peaceful protest have a long and noble history on our campus,” Roberts and Provost Chris Clemens wrote in a campus message Wednesday. “No one has the right, however, to disrupt campus operations, threaten or abuse others or damage public property.”
Ginn viewed the messages, which did not reference any specific stances or groups of protesters, as an effort “to repress the movement for Palestinian liberation and solidarity with Palestine.”
Per policy, universities in the UNC System are required to inform new students of their policies on free speech during orientation sessions each year and “periodically provide this same information to all students.”
While Thursday’s event was the first major protest of the school year, it likely will not be the last.
Roberts and Clemens recognized in their message that “there will be many opportunities this year to debate and demonstrate.”
“As you do so,” they wrote, “we ask that you do so with enthusiasm and respect for the principles of free expression that have been dear to this University for so many years.”
At court hearing for the protesters last month, SJP leaders said April’s encampment “was only one stage of a committed campaign to force” the university to heed the group’s demands.
One organizer, speaking to the crowd on Thursday, said the group “will make this the hardest year” of administrators’ lives.
“Every time you try and shut us down, every time you try and create a new policy to curb our demonstrations, every single time you try and arrest us,” the organizer said, “more students and more people will rise up and take our place.”