Officials from UNC and the Town of Chapel Hill are preparing for the potential for demonstrations in downtown where the campus and town meet on Saturday.

The UNC administration sent a message to the campus community on Friday that said the university “is preparing for the possibility of opposing demonstrations on and near campus.”

The message adds, “The Town of Chapel Hill has alerted us of a planned protest by Confederate supporters downtown.”

A counter demonstration has been planned for McCorkle Place, where the Confederate monument known as Silent Sam stood on the campus for more than 100 years before protesters topple the statue last August. The area around where the statue stood has been the location for several protests bringing those with opposing views on the monument face to face.

A permit has been approved by the Town of Chapel Hill for a demonstration on Saturday at Peace and Justice Plaza, across Franklin Street from McCorkle Place.

The permit application estimates that “10-20 American Citizens” are planning to hold an event featuring “a prayer, a pledge, and 3-4 people speaking.” The application said the group will use a megaphone and pass out flyers.

The application was submitted on April 6 and approved on May 1.

A letter from Chapel Hill Police Chief Chris Blue attached to the application said that the permit approval comes with conditions.

“Your group is not to exceed 25 attendees,” Blue wrote. He added that attendees “will remain on Peace and Justice Plaza and will not walk around the Central Business District” of Franklin Street.

Attendees will be allowed to have flag poles, Blue wrote, but if “at any time, the presence of flag poles creates an unsafe condition, you will be required to remove the flags from the area.”

Another stipulation is that no weapons will be allowed on Peace and Justice Plaza and that the town “will not provide any special parking for your or your group, nor will we provide you with an escort to or from the parking locations you select.”

The permit was approved from 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. Saturday.

The message to the campus acknowledges that tensions have been high in recent months following the toppling of Silent Sam.

“Given the events over this past academic year, we are mindful that the atmosphere is highly charged, and protests that begin peacefully do no always remain that way.”

The message continues:

“While we may not agree with all viewpoints expressed, as a public institution, we must uphold the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, in addition to the General Assembly’s North Carolina Restore and Preserve Free Speech Act and a Board of Governors policy on free speech and free expression in the UNC System, both enacted in 2017.”

Two arrests were made recently following the defacement of the Unsung Founders memorial and an art exhibit on the university campus, which the administration described as “racist actions.” Another incident is under further review after a member of a pro-Confederate group brought a firearm onto the campus in mid-March, which is illegal. The man was not arrested but was instead asked to leave the campus grounds, which he did.

UNC interim chancellor Kevin Guskiewicz also recently announced the formation of a Campus Safety Commission. That body held its first meeting on Wednesday.

Related Stories
‹
7 Arrested During Silent Sam Protest
Less than a week removed from Silent Sam’s downfall at the hands of protesters, people once again gathered at McCorkle Place on UNC’s campus. Activists from both sides, those supporting Silent Sam and those against the Confederate monument, arrived early Saturday morning to continue the movement. UNC prepared for this rally in advance, sending out a […]
UNC Preparing for Possible Silent Sam Rally on Saturday
UNC officials are preparing “for a possible rally” on Saturday after the Confederate monument known as Silent Sam was pulled down on the campus earlier this week. Social media rumors of a possible rally have been swirling since Monday’s protest. UNC officials said in a message to the campus community on Friday afternoon, “We understand […]
Protesters Tear Down Silent Sam Statue
Protesters have torn down the Silent Sam statue on UNC’s campus. Pictures quickly circulated on social media showing the statue lying face down in the dirt. https://twitter.com/ssiddiqui83/status/1031713396910186499 UNC officials issued the following statement just before 10:30 p.m. Monday: Around 9:20 p.m., a group from among an estimated crowd of 250 protesters brought down the Confederate […]
Social Media Reacts to Silent Sam Toppling
The office of North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper has released a statement on his behalf through Cooper’s official Twitter account. The Governor understands that many people are frustrated by the pace of change and he shares their frustration, but violent destruction of public property has no place in our communities. 2/2 — Governor Roy […]
Protesters Call for Removal of UNC Confederate Monument Silent Sam
Protesters took to McCorkle Place on the UNC campus Tuesday evening calling for the removal of Confederate monument known as Silent Sam. A crowd slowly grew near the monument leading up to the scheduled seven o’clock protest of Silent Sam, and then a large, chanting group of protesters joined the crowd at the culmination of […]
Chapel Hill to UNC: Relocate Silent Sam Away from the Town
Chapel Hill Mayor Pam Hemminger and members of the Town Council sent a letter to UNC following the voided lawsuit between the university and a pro-Confederate group. Last week, Judge Allen Baddour ruled that the Sons of Confederate Veterans lacked evidence to prove the group had legal standing to bring action against the UNC System and dismissed […]
Groups Celebrate Anniversary of Silent Sam Toppling at UNC
Singing and chanting started a rally Tuesday night celebrating the one-year anniversary of the Confederate monument on the UNC campus known as Silent Sam being toppled by protesters. A coalition of groups organized Tuesday’s event, including a land acknowledgment from a member of the Carolina Indian Circle and remarks from Barbara Sostaita with UndocuCarolina – […]
Silent Sam: A Timeline
One year ago, protesters tore down the Silent Sam statue at McCorkle Place. This is a timeline we created in 2018 to help better contextualize the events surrounding the Confederate monument in Chapel Hill. Since the Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, in 2017 — where a counterprotester was killed by a […]
Silent Sam Decision Clouding Start of UNC Academic Year
Protesters pulled the Confederate monument known as Silent Sam down from its pedestal on McCorkle Place on the UNC campus one year ago. But the monument’s future – whether on or off campus – is still undecided. That event on August 20, 2018, was the culmination of protests calling for the university administration to remove […]
Silent Sam Decision Looms Over UNC, Search for Police Chief
Jeff McCracken’s retirement as UNC Police chief, which was announced earlier this year, is effective Monday, and the university has named Thomas Younce as his interim replacement. UNC – Chapel Hill Board of Trustees chair Haywood Cochrane said after a special meeting of the board last Thursday that the national search for a permanent police […]
›