UNC is investigating a round of vandalism that took place in the early Monday morning hours at Polk Place, where paint was put on the steps and sidewalk near South Building, Wilson Library and the quad’s flagpole.
According to an incident report filed to UNC Police, the act took place between 3:16 a.m. on Monday — when the area was last reported as normal — and 7:38 a.m. when the vandalism was discovered. The defacement, as first reported by The Daily Tar Heel, featured anti-genocide and pro-Palestinian phrases in black paint and splashes or handprints in red paint. In capitalized letters, the messages near South Building and Wilson Library read: “I TOLD YOU I LOVED YOU,” “I WANTED GENOCIDE TO END,” “YOU TOLD ME,” and “NOW I NEED FREEDOM.” The central flagpole, which was the site of a clash between pro-Palestine demonstrators and law enforcement in April 2024, was painted with red handprints, the word “liar,” and “LIFE LIBERTY JUSTICE 4 ALL” around its base.
The vandalism’s phrasing echoes the title of a student-created mural of Palestinian and protest imagery hung at the Hanes Art Center last academic year and recently removed by UNC. The piece, titled “I told you I loved you (Gaza Solidarity),” was the result of a project in the Studio Art 490: Art as Social Action course. UNC covered up the artwork and subsequently took down the mural in August, citing plans to refresh the lobby’s artwork. But the initial cover-up of the artwork and lack of clarity around its removal led to renewed attention on the piece, with some art students and campus activists saying they interpreted the university’s decision as an attempt to chill their freedom of expression.
In a statement from UNC Media Relations, the university said campus police are investigating the vandalism and confirmed it had not yet been removed as of Tuesday morning. Suspects found to have damaged school property or violated state law may face subsequent criminal prosecution and discipline through UNC’s own policies.
“Carolina is committed to fostering an environment where intellectual engagement flourishes,” said UNC Media Relations team. “Free expression and peaceful demonstration are part of what makes ours a vibrant academic community, however, vandalism of public property is not permitted and will not be tolerated.”
Monday’s vandalism incident marks the latest in a series criticizing the university’s response to the war in the Gaza Strip, where Israel’s military is attacking the terrorist group Hamas over the kidnapping of Israeli citizens in Oct. 2023. While the conflict continues — with Israel conducting more military offenses to occupy the land, the destruction displacing hundreds of thousands of Palestinians and humanitarian groups warning of widespread famine from a restriction of aid — Carolina’s campus has reflected the resulting tensions. Student groups have led several protests against Israel’s military response, with some demonstrators using paint on university property. Following the encampment protest and arrests of pro-Palestine activists last April, South Building’s steps and doors were vandalized in May 2024 over commencement weekend. During a demonstration last September, which involved student protestors entering academic buildings and attempting to disrupt classes, messages were painted onto UNC’s ROTC Naval Armory.
The UNC chapter of Students for Justice In Palestine is credited with helping lead and organize those demonstrations and others. The group has consistently pushed UNC’s administration and Board of Trustees to denounce Israel’s actions in the Gaza Strip and to divest of any known partnerships helping fund or profit off Israel’s role in the war. On Monday, UNC SJP shared photos of the latest vandalism on its Instagram page, saying it was not done by anyone its in organization. But the group did support the message implying UNC has “blood on its hands.”
“This political expression protests UNC Chapel Hill’s complicity in the genocide against the Palestinian people and the administration’s anti-Palestinian racism,” reads the group’s statement. “This impermanent political expression of refusal and revolt pales in comparison to Israel’s complete destruction of every university in Gaza. While UNC SJP had no role in the aforementioned autonomous actions, we nevertheless reiterate our support of direct actions aimed at undermining material, financial, or political support for occupation, apartheid, and genocide.”
While university leaders and campus police opened investigations into the vandalism done in May and Sep. 2024, UNC has not publicly announced any arrests or charges in the cases.
Featured photo via UNC-Chapel Hill.
Chapelboro.com does not charge subscription fees, and you can directly support our efforts in local journalism here. Want more of what you see on Chapelboro? Let us bring free local news and community information to you by signing up for our newsletter.
