The flag had been previously removed by the protesters and replaced with a Palestinian flag, according to the Daily Tarheel.
The incident unfolded on Tuesday when Gaza Camp protesters at UNC removed the American flag from its pole and hoisted a Palestinian flag in its place. UNC's Interim Chancellor, Lee H. Roberts, personally intervened to restore the American flag to its rightful position. However, the protesters attempted to remove it again, prompting a group of young male students to stand guard around the flag on the university's quad.
The scene was further charged by the presence of another student who held an Israeli flag and was reportedly pelted with water bottles.
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Guillermo Estrada, a student at the university, took to social media to share his account of the day's events. "Today was a sad yet empowering day at Chapel Hill. I was immediately upset when I saw the Palestinian flag raised on our quad flag pole," he wrote. "I cannot claim to be fully educated on the Israel/Palestine conflict, but it upset me that my country's flag was disrespected to advocate for another."
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Estrada continued, "Chancellor Roberts, accompanied by police officers, came to hang the flag once again. They were met with profanity, middle fingers, thrown bottles, rocks, and water."
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As Roberts returned the flag to its place, students at the scene broke into chants of "USA, USA, USA!"
Roberts, after restoring the American flag, stated, “The flag represents all of us. To take that flag down and put up another flag, no matter what it is, is antithetical to who we are and what this university stands for [and] what we have done for 229 years."
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Estrada further shared, "When the flag was raised once again, the Greek community began singing the National Anthem. As the Chancellor left, the quad erupted into chaos as protesters began removing the flag once again, preparing to destroy it."
"My fraternity brother and others ran over to hold it up, to prevent it from touching the ground. People began throwing water bottles at us, rocks, sticks, calling us profane names. We stood for an hour defending the flag so many fight to protect," he added.
The Daily Tarheel reported that the group of students holding up the flag later relocated to the steps of the South building on campus. By evening, the flag was reinstated with barriers erected around it for protection.
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