Detainments are currently underway as pro-Palestinian protesters made an encampment at UNC-Chapel Hill’s Polk Place.
As reported by ABC11, protesters were warned at about 5:30am Tuesday morning (Apr. 30) to vacate by 6am or risk arrest and other consequences. Pitching tents on campus violates university policy.
Many vacated the property, but many others stayed.
UNC officials confirmed that 30 people were detained. Protesters then attempted to block UNC Police cars by standing in front of them and throwing items at officers.
The encampment was cleared in 45 minutes, but protesters then attempted to enter South Building, refusing to comply with requests from police and facilities.
Get Breaking News & Exclusive Content in Your Inbox:
UNC Interim Chancellor Lee H. Roberts and Provost Chris Clemens released a joint statement Tuesday, prior to the detainments:
“For the last several months, we have spoken regularly and respectfully with the demonstrators on our campus, consistently supporting their right to assemble and express their views. We have also clearly communicated the University’s long-standing policies on the use of shared public spaces. We have been clear that students and community members can assemble and make their voices heard, but University policies must be followed.
During events in recent weeks, the student demonstrators abided by our policies. That changed Sunday evening when protesters – including outside activists – backtracked on their commitment to comply with these policies, including trespassing into classroom buildings overnight. This group has now made it clear they will no longer even consider our requests to abide by University policies and have ended our attempts at constructive dialogue.
We must consider the safety of all of our students, faculty and staff, as well as visitors to this campus. Our students are preparing for final exams and end-of-year activities, including graduation, and we will continue to promote an educational environment where they can do so safely and without disruption.”
Roberts and Clemens said that protesters who fail to vacate the area risk arrest, suspension from campus and expulsion from the university.
UNC-Chapel Hill is the latest in a series of protests across the country in support of Palestine. Students at Columbia University took over a building near their campus’ South Lawn on Tuesday morning, while several protesters have been detained at University of Texas-Austin the day before.
