(Daily Mail) Patriotic frat boys valiantly protected an American flag on the campus of the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill even while being pelted by water bottles from pro-Palestine protestors.
Footage emerged on social media showing the group of male students from the Pi Kappa Phi fraternity holding onto the stars and stripes during a Tuesday protest. Pro-Palestine groups lobbed bottles of water at the group who clutched the flag as they were screamed at by masked protestors.
One person was seen carrying an Israel flag as others threw objects and water at him as the group held the flag high so as not let it touch the ground.
Despite the best efforts of the hardy group, the protestors eventually managed to hoist the Palestine flag on the Chapel Hill campus.
Still, the men’s action drew attention online with a GoFundMe set up for the frat that has raised more than $228,000.
Students at the University of North Carolina were seen attempting to hold hordes of pro-Palestine protestors away from the American flag
Brendan Rosenblum, a junior and Jewish student at UNC-Chapel Hill, had water bottles thrown at him as he stood in the middle of the quad by with an Israeli flag while protesters tried to replace an American flag with a Palestinian one. Classes today have just been cancelled. pic.twitter.com/hUkPTXtLxj
— Bryan Anderson (@BryanRAnderson) April 30, 2024
Footage emerged on social media showing the group of male students holding onto the stars and stripes during a protest on Tuesday
One person was seen carrying an Israel flag as others throw objects and water at him as the group held the flag high so as not let it touch the ground
‘We are overwhelmed by you glorious, Patriotic Americans who value good beer and great times,’ the fraternity wrote on the GoFundMe.
‘We are in contact with multiple leaders from fraternities whose members helped defend the flag, including Alpha Epsilon Pi and others, in addition to Pi Kappa Psi. Our gratitude goes to all of them and we will update supporters on what comes next,’
After American flag was replaced by Palestine’s flag, UNC Interim Chancellor Lee Roberts responded by personally walking out into the midst of the protest and removing the Palestine flag, ABC11 reported.
Roberts stood guard as he restored the American flag back onto the flagpole and applauded as workers did so. Footage taken shows Roberts clapping his hands as some students can be heard chanting ‘USA!,USA! USA!’
Not long after the flag was restored, a decision was made to have it taken down where it was folded into its traditional triangle shape and taken away.
The flag pole was then left empty, prompting protestors who had gathered to disperse.
Following the chaos, classes were canceled for the rest of the day and non-mandatory operations were suspended.
Police had moved in to clear out an encampment and detained some of the protestors in a tense showdown.
Pro-Palestinian demonstrators clash with police after replacing an American flag with a Palestinian flag Tuesday
Pro-Palestine groups lobbed bottles of water at the group who clutched the flag as they were screamed at by masked protestors
Despite the best efforts of the hardy group, the protestors eventually managed to hoist the Palestine flag on the Chapel Hill campus
Workers gather barricades at Polk Place at the University of North Carolina on May 1
