The commotion was caused by the Take Back the Night March that followed a rally against domestic and sexual violence. The event, part of Women's Week, was sponsored by Advocates for Sexual Assault Prevention, Feminist Students United!, Carolina Women's Center and the University Sexual Harassment Office.
The rally and march were designed to increase awareness of violence against women and to make women on UNC's campus feel more secure.
"The purpose is to reclaim campus as a safe environment and to talk about the risk of sexual violence," said ASAP volunteer Katherine Yancey.
The rally began at South Building with a musician and speaker, junior Sarah Bolen, who sang to the 100-person crowd about women's independence.
Junior Erica Smiley then set the tone for the march with a speech that encouraged members of the movement to continue the fight against oppression. "We, as women, are under attack," she said. "We have to fight back."
She also emphasized the need for activists to remember the victims of sexual violence. "We cannot ignore the dynamics within our own movement," Smiley said.
The rally was followed by a march from South Building that wove through campus and ended in the Pit. The participants held posters and candles while demanding an end to violence against women.
The students yelled, "What do we want? No more violence. When do we want it? Now," and "We are women. We are strong. We've been victims way too long."
At a Franklin Street corner, the marchers blew whistles for 30 seconds to represent the fact that every 30 seconds a woman gets raped or sexually assaulted.
