1,000+ Palestinian supporters march along Franklin Street in Chapel Hill into UNC campus

Amalia Roy
·2 min read
19

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (WNCN) — UNC-Chapel Hill on Sunday continues to be at the center of pro-Palestinian protests in the Triangle.

At least 1,000 people packed Peace and Justice Plaza in Chapel Hill before marching along Franklin Street and then through the UNC campus Sunday afternoon.

Student leaders from UNC’s Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) led the crowd of students and community members through chants continuing calls for the end of fighting in Gaza.

The march was organized by the same students behind the campus encampment that was broken up by police on April 30 after UNC officials said the tents violated policy.

“I chose to stand next to my friends and to strangers that I don’t know, because I was worried for their safety,” Sylvie, a Ph.D. candidate at UNC, recalled about the night the tents were taken down.

The number of protesters grew Sunday as they began to march in Chapel Hill down Franklin Street. Demonstrators included students from UNC, N.C. State, Duke, and people from all over the Triangle.

On Sunday, police blocked areas to create a path through streets as marchers turned toward the campus.

Pro-Palestine protesters continue to demand UNC divest investments with Israel and for an end to the war in Gaza.

A small group of pro-Israel students followed along Sunday as demonstrators made their way to Polk Place in front of the UNC chancellor’s office.

One pro-Palestine protester placed himself between the two groups to avoid any direct confrontation.

But, David, a freshman at UNC, told CBS17 that people reached for his Israeli flag many times. In one instance, a CBS 17 crew saw a woman grab the student’s flag.

“Freedom of speech. They’re exercising it, so am I. They’re out here trying to grab my flag trying to push us,” David told CBS17.

It’s unclear if Chapel Hill police deployed any extra officers for Sunday’s march.

Overall the demonstration went off without any major incidents.

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