UNC students to protect Old Well from rivals

Chapel Hill, N.C. — University of North Carolina students are mobilizing to protect a campus symbol from vandalism before the school's annual football game against rival North Carolina State University.

About 500 students with the fan group Carolina Fever are expected to participate in the inaugural Old Well Watch late Friday and early Saturday.

The event starts at 10 p.m. Friday, and students will man one-hour shifts beside the Old Well to prevent N.C. State students from vandalizing the iconic symbol. Small patrols of students also will cover other key UNC monuments.

In February, the Old Well was doused with red paint before a UNC-N.C. State basketball game. Earlier this week, a tunnel on the N.C. State campus was painted Carolina blue.

UNC Public Safety officials said N.C. State graffiti was found on campus Thursday morning. Chapel Hill Police are also investigating a sign painted in red near the intersection of Interstate 40 and N.C. Highway 54.

The Old Well Watch will include a big-screen airing Friday night of the UNC basketball game against the University of California-Santa Barbara, movies, pizza, games and hot drinks, organizers said.

The watch officially ends at 4 a.m. Saturday, but many students are expected to remain on patrol past that. Organizers said students may continue the patrol through the afternoon game and into the evening to prevent any post-game vandalism.