Dozens of community members and UNC students gathered in downtown Chapel Hill on Sunday to continue demonstrations in support of Palestine in the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas.

After a four-day encampment protest on UNC’s campus saw a mix of students and other participants arrested on April 30, organizers have continued to lead rallies calling for the university to divest from any financial ties with companies that support Israel’s military offensive in Gaza. Both Friday and Sunday, organizers with UNC Students for Justice in Palestine — which has been suspended by the university as an affiliated organization as an investigation into allegedly breaking UNC policy is conducted — called protesters to gather at the Peace and Justice Plaza on East Franklin Street. Just yards away from campus boundaries, demonstrators continued to share their messages of support for Palestine and criticism of both Israel and institutions like UNC who are not taking a stand against the country’s actions in the war. The group also criticized the police response used by the university to arrest students Tuesday morning and break up a demonstration in which pro-Palestinian protesters took down the American flag.

Here are some photos from Sunday’s demonstration, organized by UNC Students for Justice in Palestine, Jewish Voices for Peace of the Triangle, and the Party for Socialism & Liberation. All photos are taken by Matthew Clements.

Demonstrators begin to gather at the Peace and Justice Plaza in Chapel Hill on Sunday, May 5. (Photo via Matthew Clements.)
(Photo via Matthew Clements.)
Like Tuesday’s arrests and demonstration, Sunday’s event was not exclusive to the UNC community and saw other community members from Research Triangle universities in attendance. (Photo via Matthew Clements.)
(Photo via Matthew Clements.)
(Photo via Matthew Clements.)
A speaker addresses the crowd on Sunday while wrapped in a Palestinian flag. (Photo via Matthew Clements.)
A speaker uses a megaphone to talk with the dozens of people gathered Sunday afternoon on East Franklin Street. (Photo via Matthew Clements.)
(Photo via Matthew Clements.)
(Photo via Matthew Clements.)
Counter-protesters stood across East Franklin Street from the group on Sunday afternoon. (Photo via Matthew Clements.)
People wearing hats of the National Lawyers Guild stand across the street from Sunday’s protest. Several representatives have observed the recent demonstrations in Chapel Hill. (Photo via Matt Clements.)
(Photo via Matthew Clements.)
UNC Interim Chancellor Lee Roberts and other university administrators said the police’s arrest of students on Tuesday was over their failure to disperse, violation of university policies, and material disruption to campus operations. (Photo via Matthew Clements.)
(Photo via Matt Clements.)

After rallying at the Peace and Justice Plaza, the group then migrated to UNC’s South Building for further demonstration on Sunday. There were no reports of any arrests or incidents between protesters and others.

Featured image via Matthew Clements.

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