On Sunday evening at 6:45 p.m., pro-Palestinian demonstrators on UNC's Polk Place re-erected their tents with the knowledge that the action could escalate the situation during the third day of the "Triangle Gaza Solidarity Encampment."
UNC Students for Justice in Palestine organizers asked protesters to remove the poles from the tents on the first day of the demonstration in order to comply with the Facilities Use Standard which states that "no temporary Structures whatsoever shall be erected or placed on lawn space beneath the drip lines of trees."
Immediately after putting up the tents, demonstrators linked arms and created a circle around the encampment.
"Disclose! Divest! We will not stop, we will not rest," they chanted.
Following the action, several UNC Police officers walked around the Quad area, but did not directly engage with the demonstrators. Many officers went in and out of Gerrard Hall and at least two police dogs were spotted.
Desirée Rieckenberg, the dean of students, spoke with demonstrators within the encampment and before exiting Polk Place.
Approximately 30 minutes later, UNC SJP said in statement on Instagram that University administration told SJP organizers "tents are coming down tonight." They requested that students and community members join the encampment.
An SJP organizer announced over a megaphone that demonstrators are aware of the elevated risk of erecting the tents. "We keep us safe" has since been a rallying cry for those within the encampment.
“We have safety in numbers, we care for each other,” they said.
