Pro-Palestinian protesters take down U.S. flag replace it with Palestine flag on UNC quad

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (WTVD) — Pro-Palestinian protesters removed the American flag from UNC’s quad on Tuesday afternoon and replaced it with the Palestinian one in what was the latest disruptive incident on campus.

Interim Chancellor Lee Roberts responded by personally walking out to the quad and helping to restore the U.S. flag to its prominent position on campus to chants from supporters of “USA. – USA.”

However, not long after the U.S. flag had been restored, it came down again. This time it was folded into its traditional triangle shape and taken away for safe keeping.

The flag pole on UNC’s quad was then left empty and many of the protesters who had gathered around the area dispersed.

UNC announced on Tuesday afternoon that classes and other “mandatory operations” were suspended for the day.

All of this comes after a clash between protesters and law enforcement officers in the same area earlier Tuesday.

At about 5:30 a.m., protesters were warned they had to vacate by 6 a.m. or they may face arrest and other consequences. UNC officials previously told protesters that pitching tents on campus violated university policy.

In a statement released Tuesday by UNC Interim Chancellor Roberts and Provost Clemen before police began removing protesters, they said if protesters fail to vacate the area, it could result in consequences. This includes possible arrest, suspension from campus and expulsion from the university, which may prevent students from graduating.

Police detained 30 people who refused to leave, according to UNC officials. Protesters then attempted to block the UNC Police vehicles by standing in front of them and throwing items at officers.

Some of those arrested were transferred by the Orange County Sheriff’s Department to the detention center.

The encampment in Polk Place was cleared in 45 minutes.

After the area was cleared, UNC officials said protestors attempted to enter South Building. They refused to comply with requests from facilities and UNC police.

One Duke student who was detained described her arrest.

“(The police) were very violent, very rough,” she said. “I’m not a big person, and I had two grown men grab me very viciously…it was not kindly done.”

According to the student, she was charged with a second-degree misdemeanor for trespassing.

In the statement from Roberts and Clemens, it read:

“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.”

On Monday, ABC11 spoke with Orange County District Attorney Jeff Nieman about the potential legal fallout from the intensifying protests.

“That is where we could get into sort of a higher level debate that actually could find its way into the courtroom where we’re debating whether or not the policy being enforced is a reasonable infringement on First Amendment rights,” he said.

Nieman did say that protesters would be prosecuted by his office – should they find the law was fairly and appropriately applied in the course of any potential arrests that are made.

“I have heard that there are some offices that have made sort of more categorical statements that they just aren’t interested in prosecuting protest-related offenses,” he said. “And that’s just not our view of it. We would look at a case-by-case basis. And if it meets that standard, then we would go forward with a prosecution.”