Eight arrested at latest 'Silent Sam' protest on UNC campus

The event began with a potluck organized by the Defend UNC group but escalated when members of the New Confederate States of America arrived, draped in Confederate flags.

Students had organized a cookout and canned food drive in protest of the group they believe to be white supremacists. Police seized the donated canned goods, saying they could be a danger on campus and offered to deliver them to a shelter.

Once the students and members of the New Confederate States of America were both on campus, the groups began yelling back and forth, as those in opposition to the return of the “Silent Sam” statue yelled “Nazis go home" and threatened to pull the statue down again if it returns to campus.

Video from the scene showed that the two groups were being kept away from each other with barricades.

After about an hour, the members of the New Confederate States of America were willingly escorted off campus by police and the situation escalated as the group of anti-"Silent Sam" demonstrators turned on police, upset that law enforcement protected a group they believe stands for hate.

Police from Durham, Chapel Hill and Greensboro held the crowd back as they pushed through and a line of bicycles was used to keep students back.

A student from North Carolina State University who attended the protest felt the brunt of the bicycles as he attempted to break through. He was later arrested, but said the "Silent Sam" statue should never return to the UNC campus.

"I don't think we can let monuments that stand for hate come back," he said.

Authorities said eight people were arrested, but did not release their names or charges against them.

As a result of the opposing protests, East Cameron Avenue was closed to traffic between Columbia and Raleigh Streets until further notice.

The “Silent Sam” statue was toppled by protesters on Aug. 20 after being an issue of contention at the university for years.

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Since the statue fell, McCorkle Place has been the sight of two additional protests, from those who want the statue to return and those who do not want to see it back on the UNC-CH campus. More than a dozen people have been arrested in connection with the events.

Police searching for two people of interest in 'Silent Sam' toppling

On Friday, Chapel Hill Mayor Pam Hemminger issued a statement thanking police for their response to the recent string of protests and their collaboration with UNC police.

“On behalf of the entire Town Council and the town, I want to say ‘thank you’ to Chief Blue and his team for their extraordinary service during two very, very challenging weeks and their commitment to keeping everyone safe,” she said.

The “Silent Sam” statue has been in storage since it was toppled and UNC-Chapel Hill Chancellor Carol Folt and the university’s Board of Trustees have until mid-November to present a plan for the future of the statue to the Board of Governors.