A few dozen protesters marched on UNC Charlotte’s campus Tuesday night in support of Palestinians. That’s after university officials removed several tents on campus earlier in the day and warned protesters against marching.
The protesters held a banner that read: “It is right to rebel.” They wore headwear that covered their faces as they marched across campus to the chancellor’s residence.
“Our tuition funds oppression. Revolution, revolution!” they chanted.
Student protester Jace didn’t want to give his last name. He said the group decided to march to show they wouldn’t be deterred by the university removing their belongings.
“We are not afraid of what the university is trying to do. We are not going to accept their fear and intimidation tactics,” said Jace. “We are going to continue to show up and show that even if they take down our tents, it does not mean that we will stop fighting. Our tents are merely symbolic, but our fight continues every single day.”
The university told organizers Tuesday's march would not be permitted due to concerns it would disrupt final exams, and limited protests to an area where tailgating usually happens. But protesters marched through campus as university police watched, and no one stopped the marchers.
The university had warned students beforehand they could be expelled and arrested for trespassing, and that staff could be terminated, if they took part in “disruptive behavior” outside the designated area.
A spokesperson for the protesters said that multiple students were suspended. Arrest records show UNC Charlotte police arrested one student Tuesday morning on charges of resisting a public officer. That same student was arrested again Tuesday evening on charges of trespassing.
The school said earlier Tuesday it was restricting entry to all buildings on campus that afternoon and evening only to people with UNC Charlotte IDs.
"This precautionary measure is in place to ensure exams can continue uninterrupted should protests occur later (Tuesday)," administrators said in a statement.
UNC Charlotte's spring commencement exercises start later this week, with ceremonies on campus Friday and Saturday.
Universities across the U.S. have struggled to deal with pro-Palestinian encampments and marches in recent weeks, with violent confrontations at campuses such as Columbia University in New York City and UCLA in California.
At UNC-Chapel Hill, police detained a few dozen people last week as they tried to clear an encampment.
Protesters have generally demanded their schools cut any financial ties with companies that do business with Israel and end relationships with Israeli institutions. Some Jewish students on campuses have said they're facing antisemitic slogans, chants and intimidation.
