Community groups respond to police action against pro-Palestine protesters

University officials, several campus groups, and eight Chapel Hill and Carrboro elected officials released statements regarding Tuesday's events on campus. 

North Carolina Hillel and UNC Hillel released a joint statement on Instagram on Tuesday stating that their top priority is to keep Jewish students safe at the University. This post comes after a previous one released on Sunday discussing Jewish students' safety while the encampment still remained on the Quad.

The Jewish Voice for Peace’s Triangle Chapter and the UNC Graduate Students for the Liberation of Palestine also posted a joint Instagram carousel in the early hours of Wednesday morning. The statement's title read, “Who is actually threatening Jewish student's safety on campus?”

Triangle NC JVP expressed disappointment with the UNC administration in the wake of Tuesday's events. 

“Jews, Muslims, and people of all faiths should be safe to express their full identities on campus. As members of the UNC-CH Jewish community, we assert our right to define ourselves — as both Jewish and in support of Palestinian liberation,” they said. 

UNC Graduate Students for the Liberation of Palestine released a separate joint statement with the UNC Students for Justice in Palestine Tuesday evening calling for "UNC alumni to stand in support of the ongoing Gaza solidarity actions" taking place on campus and sign the alumni letter addressed to interim Chancellor Lee Roberts and Provost Christopher Clemens.

The letter explained that the organizations are proud to see the UNC community continuing to exercise their First Amendment right to protest like they have many times before, but condemned the decision of bringing armed police to campus to make arrests. 

In this letter, they laid out a list of demands including for the University to call for an immediate and permanent ceasefire in Gaza, to "divest from companies that profit from Israel’s oppression of Palestinians," to "stop deploying police forces to disperse peaceful demonstrations," to drop all charges related to the Triangle Gaza Solidarity Encampment, to provide fair treatment to those protesting, and to "avoid further dangerous mischaracterization of peaceful demonstrations being conducted by UNC students, staff, and faculty." 

As of Wednesday evening, nearly 2,000 people had signed the letter.

The UNC Faculty and Staff for Justice in Palestine also posted a statement on Wednesday saying that the group stands with UNC students and condemns the police violence that occurred on campus yesterday. 

“We are humbled by the bravery of UNC students standing up for the liberation of Palestinians,” they said in the statement. “We demand that UNC disclose investments and divest from genocide. We commit to working for a permanent ceasefire and end the occupation of Palestine.” 

This morning, four Chapel Hill Town Counciland four Carrboro Town Council members published a letter condemning the “use of aggressive police tactics” taken against pro-Palestinian demonstrators — calling it an overreaction by administration. The elected officials emphasized the importance of free speech and academic freedom. 

They calling on the University to abide by the guidance that the American Civil Liberties Union published on Friday to university leaders across the country related to protests on college campuses. 

Students protestors have pushed American politicians to meet the moment, be better, and live up to our country's best values. Grateful to these colleagues for speaking out in favor of students' safety as they express their first amendment rights. https://t.co/ejPhujoEgD pic.twitter.com/WWMQ7lSJxv

— Theodore Nollert (@theodorenollert) May 1, 2024

The group of Chapel Hill and Carrboro elected officials also said they are willing to ready to work with the University to ensure the safety of those peacefully protesting on campus and called on District Attorney Jeff Nieman to drop the charges of the six individuals arrested on Tuesday.

Nieman shared a statement in response to the Carrboro and Chapel Hill elected officials' request to dismiss all charges later on Wednesday.

While peaceful protesters and police officers have the right to act without threats of violence, he said his office will make decisions on the cases “once we have received and reviewed all the evidence in these cases.” He also pledged that he would fairly and impartially administer state laws.

“I have stated publicly, and privately to some of these same officials,” Nieman said, “that if we determine that crimes have been committed and properly enforced, we would proceed with the cases that meet that standard. I can understand why some public officials may feel compelled to speak out on matters of public interest. However, a prosecutorial decision should never be made prior to collection and thorough review of all the relevant evidence. That evidence is still being compiled; therefore, it’s impossible for anyone to make a reasoned determination as to how best to proceed in these matters."

In a campuswide email on Wednesday afternoon, Amy Johnson, vice chancellor for student affairs, addressed "the reverberation" of the community's emotions over the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza seen on Polk Place. She said UNC supports the right to peacefully demonstrate under the First Amendment, but noted that the action must comply with University policies.

"Your education, safety, and well-being are our top priorities," Johnson wrote in her email. "We took actions yesterday to demonstrate our commitment to these objectives, to address activities that do not comply with University policies, and to preserve a campus in which all students can freely and safely engage in the learning environment, particularly during this critical time of the year involving final exams and Commencement events."

Johnson's email concluded by providing resources for students, such as the Counseling and Psychological Services on campus, Heels Care Network and Student Wellness. 

@nataliemcc212 | university@dailytarheel.com