UNC protesters and police clash after American flag replaced with Palestinian flag during protests Tuesday

A chaotic scene at UNC-Chapel Hill continued Tuesday afternoon, hours after police began detaining pro-Palestinian protesters on campus.

On Tuesday afternoon, the already tense situation escalated after the American flag was lowered and replaced with a Palestinian flag on the main quad, also known as Polk Place. Protesters had to tear down metal barricades surrounding the flag pole in the center of the quad to do so.

Dozens of police officers entered the main quad along with UNC Interim Chancellor Lee Roberts. Classes were canceled for the rest of the day and non-mandatory operations were suspended with emotions running high.

WRAL News was live at UNC-Chapel Hill, where police could be seen removing protesters who had set up an encampment at the university in protest of the Israel-Hamas war.

People could be seen with zip ties around their wrists being taken away by police. One person was seen being dragged by police.

The university said 36 people were taken into custody Tuesday morning because they refused to comply with the university's order to disperse from Polk Place. Twenty seven people were cited for trespassing and released on-site, including 13 UNC students and 17 people not affiliated with the university. The university said six people were arrested and charged with trespassing. UNC said the six, one UNC student and two Duke students, were released on a written promise to appear in court. 

Two people – Owen Hopkins Stone of Asheville and Jackson Prause of Greensboro – face charges for assaulting a government official. A warrant in the matter said a suspect "unlawfully and willfully did resist, delay, and obstruct ... a public officer by pushing against an officer and tackling him to the ground." The officer who was assaulted was an NC State University police officer.

Roberts released a statement outlining the university's actions on Tuesday morning.

"We were disappointed that we had to take action this morning regarding protesters, including many who are not members of the Carolina community, who violated state law and University policies that provide for peaceful demonstration.

Into the weekend, our University maintained a healthy and constructive dialogue with students and others who came to our campus to make their voices heard. This is our consistent tradition and practice, as the principle of free speech is enshrined in the North Carolina Constitution, which states that “freedom of speech and of the press are two of the great bulwarks of liberty and therefore shall never be restrained.”

No one has the right to disrupt campus operations materially, nor to threaten or intimidate our students, nor to damage and destroy public property.

Previous protests this year have concluded peacefully and without arrests. Policies have been shared with the entire campus on multiple occasions and with protest organizers at events. At several points during this past weekend, we had constructive conversations with organizers that allowed for the group to continue their event and remain within our reasonable time, manner and place policies.

That changed Sunday evening when protesters backtracked on their commitment to comply with these policies. The leaders of this group ended our attempts at constructive dialogue.

We must consider the physical safety of all of our students, faculty and staff. In addition, we are alarmed at the rising accounts of antisemitic speech, and we categorically denounce this and any other incidents of prejudice."

Police could be seen tossing tents while breaking up the encampment of protesters early Tuesday morning.

More law enforcement officers were seen walking onto the campus shortly after the first round of officers removed several people and broke up the encampment.

Despite police efforts, protesters remained on UNC's campus. Police could be seen surrounding the crowds.

According to university police, protesters attempted to block UNC police vehicles by standing in front of them. After the encampment was cleared out, police said protesters pushed officers while attempting to enter the South Building.

Protesters were kicked off the campus and made their way to the Orange County Detention Center to support those who were detained. Officers from nearby campuses joined UNC's police force for the day.

"Our action is not over until all of our folks are out of jail," one protester said. "We are gonna go support our students who have been arrested."

Around noon, UNC Students for Justice in Palestine organized a walkout on the Wilson steps in protest of the students who were taken into custody. A crowd was marching up to the South Building, which houses the chancellor's office.

On the main quad around 2 p.m., protesters tore down barricades and took down the American flag on a flag pole in the quad. A Palestinian flag was raised in its place. A group surrounded the pole as if they were guarding it.

Music played loudly and some joined hands and danced while others clapped in unison.

Around 2:35 p.m., police officers entered the space in response to the American flag being taken down. The Palestinian flag was eventually lowered and the American flag raised as officers set up a perimeter around the structure. Protesters chanted, "disclose, divest, we will not stop, we will not rest." Officers were seen using pepper spray at one point.

Roberts walked alongside officers as they made their way to the quad.

"To take down that flag and put up another flag, no matter what other flag it is, that's antithetical to who we are and what this university stands for and what we have done for 229 years," Roberts said to the media. "The broad majority of this campus knows how to express their views without shouting, without violating university policy. That [American] flag will stand here as long am I'm chancellor."

"Tell the students that we're going to keep them safe from a very small minority of students who want to disrupt their experience," Roberts said.

At one point, the American flag was removed from the pole for a second time. In one especially tense exchange, an officer appeared to hit the amplifier out of a protester's megaphone.

The decision to cancel classes was made around 3 p.m. as Tuesday was the last scheduled day of classes for the semester for undergraduate students.

Many of the protesters voiced demands for UNC to cut ties with Israel and called for administrators to release information on investments with Israeli-connected companies.

"UNC needs to disclose the funding that is going to Gaza, and it needs to divest immediately the funding that is going to Israeli weapons," said student Mercy Neal.

The scene had died down around 6 p.m., but facilities workers put up an extra layer of fencing around the flag pole. The American flag was raised back up the pole around 6:30 p.m.

This past fall, UNC had an emotionally-charged day on campus between pro-Palestine and pro-Israel groups. The protest was branded as a "resistance rally."

Nearly seven months of Israeli bombardment and ground offensives in Gaza have killed more than 34,000 Palestinians, according to local health officials. The Israel-Hamas war was sparked by the unprecedented Oct. 7 raid into southern Israel in which militants killed around 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducted around 250 hostages. Israel says the militants are still holding around 100 hostages and the remains of more than 30 others.

At Columbia University in New York City, students and protesters have inspired pro-Palestinian demonstrations on campuses across the country. Hundreds of students there have been arrested.

Police threatened to arrest pro-Palestinian protesters

Campus police announced Monday that officers would arrest pro-Palestinian protesters who were camping within view of administration building on the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill campus.

“You can’t really turn a blind eye to the massive encampment of students, faculty and community members,” the student organizing the protest said. She is a UNC graduate student, but she did not want to give her name.

UNC Students for Justice in Palestine posted a message on social media, calling for all hands on deck at Polk Place at 201 South Road. On Monday, WRAL News counted 34 tents.

“No more money for Israel’s slaughter!” protesters chanted Monday.

They’re demanding the university disclose any investments in Israel and divest of that funding.

Demands are painted on signs and written in chalk on sidewalks surrounding the tent village.

“Seeing such a big cause on campus definitely makes you think a lot more about it,” said UNC sophomore Heidi Kauffman.

The group then moved from Polk Place to the Morehead Planetarium, where former UNC Chancellor Kevin Gusciewisz attended an event meant for graduating seniors called "Last Lecture."

Jared Wasserman, a UNC student of Jewish faith, said while he understands why the protesters started the encampment, he believes the school should focus on other matters.

"It doesn't seem like anything is going to happen right now," he said.

The display also got UNC freshman Holiday King’s attention.

“I promote free speech,” King said. “I totally promote free speech, but the university just needs to do more.”

“I’m a Jewish student,” UNC junior Daniel Stompel said. “This personally makes me feel a little bit unsafe.”

Organizers plan for the encampment to stay in place until the university hears their demands or takes more drastic action to move them out.

Campus police have threatened to arrest anyone camping near the admin building, adding the tents are in violation.