On Tuesday, a dramatic series of events unfolded at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, drawing nationwide attention. The campus became a battleground of ideologies as a group of anti-Israel protesters replaced the American flag on the university’s quad with a Palestinian flag. This act came just a day after the flag had been lowered to half-mast in honor of four Charlotte officers killed in the line of duty.
UNC Chancellor Lee Roberts quickly intervened, dispatching law enforcement to restore the American flag to its rightful position. However, the activists, including some not affiliated with the university, attempted to remove the flag a second time but were confronted by a group of students determined to keep it in place.
A Jewish student @UNC was called a pig and had liquid thrown at him for holding an Israeli flag. He stood strong as a group of UNC frat boys protected the American flag after leftists tried to replace it with a Palestinian flag.pic.twitter.com/ndeEjpc4xH
— Robby Starbuck (@robbystarbuck) May 1, 2024
Student Guillermo Estrada described the day’s events on social media, detailing his initial shock upon seeing the Palestinian flag raised in place of the American flag. He expressed his dismay at the disrespect shown towards the national flag, a sentiment that resonated with many on campus. Estrada’s post, which went viral, recounted how he and others faced hostility from protesters as they defended the flag.
NEW: UNC Chapel Hill frat boy says he would have protected the American flag with his “dead body” from protesters.
One of the students who protected the flag at UNC, Dan Stompel, gave an interview with Fox News as their GoFundMe has surpassed $400,000.
Stompel said holding the… pic.twitter.com/AVHlTcMrX6
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) May 2, 2024
The confrontation escalated as members of the Greek community sang the National Anthem, and further attempts by protesters to remove the flag were met with strong resistance. Estrada highlighted the personal significance of the flag, citing his family’s immigrant background and connections to the military community.
“I was like, ‘I’d die for this flag.’ And everybody was like, ‘Yeah.’ If they got any closer that we’re going to start throwing hands.” “We’re not going anywhere, I don’t care. They’re going to have to tear me off this flag over my dead body,” student Dan Stompel said. “Don’t bend the knee to these people. They want to take over. They want to just destroy what this country stands for. So take a stand. Be a man. Take a stand.”
Chancellor Roberts, in a statement to the media, affirmed his commitment to keeping the American flag flying on campus as long as he remains in office. He emphasized the university’s dedication to ensuring a safe and inclusive environment for all students, despite the actions of a disruptive minority.
The university reported that around 30 protesters were detained after refusing to vacate an encampment on the quad, despite prior warnings from university administrators. The protesters’ resistance continued as they attempted to block police vehicles and later tried to force their way into a university building.
However, a new video of this incident has been found, and it’s intense but also funny.
Warning strong language:
“F*ck you. Lose some weight.”
UNC frat boys respond to a woke feminist coming to take down the American flag.
This makes the entire thing 1000x better.
— End Wokeness (@EndWokeness) May 2, 2024
