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 \u2014 ushering in what could be a tense semester at the university as the Israel-Hamas war continues.<\/p>\n
The campus chapter of Students for Justice for Palestine on Thursday evening hosted a \u201cdisorientation\u201d 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.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhile UNC performs business as usual in the first week of classes, join us for a Disorientation to the imperialism and violence that administration defends,\u201d an Instagram post promoting the event read. \u201cAdmin\u2019s repression of organizing will not hinder the demand for divestment, and the call for a Free Palestine.\u201d<\/p>\n
Thursday\u2019s protest marked the first campus demonstration over the war since tensions came to a head in the spring, with a four-day \u201cGaza solidarity encampment\u201d that saw 36 protesters charged with trespassing<\/a> after they refused to comply with orders from police to disband the gathering.<\/p>\n All of those charged at the encampment have been offered plea deals ranging from deferred prosecution to a conditional discharge,<\/a> according to their attorney. They are expected to appear in court, where they could accept or decline the deals, on Monday.<\/p>\n Pro-Palestinian demonstrators also protested before and during the university\u2019s graduation speech in May,<\/a> 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.<\/p>\n But Thursday\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n 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.<\/a><\/p>\n Jacob Ginn, an SJP member, told The News & Observer prior to the demonstration Thursday that \u201cit\u2019s in the university\u2019s interest to meet our demands.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re gonna stay out here, and we\u2019re gonna keep protesting and keep pushing the university until they are met,\u201d Ginn said.<\/p>\n