The University of North Carolina’s interim Chancellor Lee Roberts personally restored the American flag to a flagpole in the center of the Chapel Hill campus Tuesday after protesters replaced it with the Palestinian flag, according to videos the Daily Tar Heel posted to Twitter.
Protestors originally knocked down barricades set up around the flagpole on the campus’s Polk Place to gain access to the flag, the Daily Tar Heel video shows.
BREAKING: Protestors have broken down the barricades instated by law enforcement this morning. Police officers standing have not responded. pic.twitter.com/eFFEqXcTfV
— The Daily Tar Heel (@dailytarheel) April 30, 2024
The agitators then lowered the American flag and replaced it with the Palestinian flag, video shows.
This is @l_rhodsie reporting from Polk Place. The American flag that stands in the middle of campus has been pulled down and replaced with the Palestinian flag. pic.twitter.com/B1PzGHdF6V
— The Daily Tar Heel (@dailytarheel) April 30, 2024
After a group of protesters surrounded their Palestinian flag, Roberts led a troop of police officers to the flag in an effort to restore the Stars and Stripes, video shows.
Interim Chancellor Lee Roberts is leading a team of law enforcement officers towards the flag pole. pic.twitter.com/d7Ptmy499e
— The Daily Tar Heel (@dailytarheel) April 30, 2024
Roberts and police restored the American flag as counter-protestors sang the national anthem, Daily Tar Heel video shows. (RELATED: ‘Defy Those Rules’: CNN Host Presses Pro-Palestine Student On University Protest Guidelines)
The American flag has now been raised back up as several counter-protesters are singing the national anthem. Roberts is clapping along. pic.twitter.com/S3otUSJQss
— The Daily Tar Heel (@dailytarheel) April 30, 2024
Protestors again took down the flag after Roberts left to give a press conference before counter-protestors formed a circle around the flag and held it up to keep it from touching the ground, Daily Tar Heel video shows.
As Roberts holds a press conference, protesters have taken the American flag down again. Police previously sprayed protesters with pepper spray before pushing them back out. Counter-protesters are attempting to put the flag back up. pic.twitter.com/VNUR1yLZ0F
— The Daily Tar Heel (@dailytarheel) April 30, 2024
Pro-Palestinian protesters have made a circle around some of the counter-protesters. Some individuals are replacing the barricades in a circle around the counter-protesters as they hold up the American flag from touching the ground. pic.twitter.com/RLFrG43ApT
— The Daily Tar Heel (@dailytarheel) April 30, 2024