Anti-Israel UNC encampment shutdown (detailed timeline) | GOP District 13 run-off concession | UNC virologist "can't rule out" natural COVID-19 origins | "Project READY" public records request update
Anti-Israel UNC encampment shutdown (detailed timeline) | GOP District 13 run-off concession | UNC virologist "can't rule out" natural COVID-19 origins | "Project READY" public records request update
No. 70 — Apr. 28-May 4, 2024
I apologize for the delay in getting this weekly email out; it's been quite an eventful week in regards to the the "Triangle Gaza Solidarity Encampment" at UNC, so I put together a detail timeline to help orient y'all, including the defiance of university policy, the law enforcement action, and the viral story regarding the "frat bros" protecting the American flag.
It's quite long, so I've placed it at the bottom of this newsletter after the other stories from this week (jump to).
Top vote-getter concedes run-off GOP primary for District 13
Daughtry drops out of Triangle-area congressional race, Knott responds to endorsement - WRAL
Kelly Daughtry drops out of Republican run-off primary election against Brad Knott - ABC11
Kelly Daughtry drops out of Republican runoff for NC’s 13th Congressional District after Trump endorses Brad Knott - FOX8
In a surprise turn of events, Kelly Daughtry is suspending her campaign in the Republican run-off primary for Congressional District 13 and has endorsed the remaining candidate, Brad Knott.
Although Daughtry received more votes than Knott in the April primary, recent events had been pointing in Knott's favor, including his endorsement by Donald Trump, who referred to Daughty as a "RINO", referencing how she had "given money to Far Left Democrats, pledged to vote for Obama, and is no friend to MAGA".
Daughtry will still be on the May 14th ballot, and could still technically win the election (as occurred in the Democrat primary for House District 40 in 2008).
Knott is favored to win the general election in November, with the district rated likely Republican or safe Republican by political analysts.
Previous coverage:
13th Congressional District runoff election heats up (No. 66 — Apr. 6, 2024)
UNC coronavirologist Ralph Baric: "can't rule out" lab leak origin of COVID-19
Ralph Baric, Whose Virology Techniques Were Used in Wuhan, Testified That Lab Leak Was Possible - Vanity Fair
AN EVALUATION OF THE EVIDENCE SURROUNDING ECOHEALTH ALLIANCE, INC.’s RESEARCH ACTIVITIES - Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic
Interview of Ralph S. Baric, Ph.D. (January 22, 2024) - Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic
The Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic has released the transcript of the interview conducted with UNC virologist Ralph Baric earlier this year.
What was perhaps the most interesting was Baric's criticism of the Wuhan Institute of Virology (WIV) for only using Biosafety Level 2 for virology research which he would have only conducted under Biosafety Level 3 in his lab at UNC-Chapel Hill.
Although Baric testified that he considers a natural origin of COVID-19 more likely, due the number of potential contact points for a bat coronavirus to cross over into humans, he also testified that "we can't rule out" a lab leak, due to the lower biosafety level the WIV used for gain-of-function or related coronavirus research.
I didn't make it quite all the way through the 200+ page transcript, but the Vanity Fair article on Baric's testimony appears to be a fairly comprehensive overview of the highlights.
Previous coverage:
Public Records Lawsuit Against UNC by Medical Watchdog Group Investigating COVID-19 Origins Advances (Original Article — Nov. 6, 2023)
UNC claims "research project collaborations" are exempt from public records statute in COVID-19 origins investigation lawsuit (No. 57 — Feb. 3, 2024)
U.S. Right to Know public records lawsuit reveals efforts to evade transparency (No. 58 — Feb. 10, 2024)
Coronavirus Pandemic Subcommittee alleges FBI interest in UNC/COVID origins public records requests (No. 59 — Feb. 17, 2024)
UNC COVID-19 Origins Public Records Lawsuit: what does "proprietary mean"? (No. 61 — Mar. 2, 2024)
"Stop Gain of Function" rally at UNC-Chapel Hill (No. 62 — Mar. 9, 2024)
UNC-linked coronavirus researcher accused of "discrepancies in testimony" (No. 66 — Apr. 6, 2024)
Email shows North Carolina governmental employee promoting anti-white "Project READY"
After becoming aware in March of a neo-Marxist "racial equity" professional development curriculum for librarians created by governmental institutions here in North Carolina, I began sending out public records requests to see if any staff at the public or school libraries here in the Triangle were leaning about the evils of "whiteness".
Although I will wait until I have heard back from as many agencies as possible before publishing a full report, I thought I'd give y'all a little taste of one public record I got back this week, an 2020 email sent to a distribution list by Jasmine Rockwell, a Youth Services Consultant with the State Library of North Carolina (under the NC Department of Natural and Cultural Resources).
The email includes the state employee promoting Project READY as "amazing" course which "aims to introduce youth services library staff to research in areas such as race, racism, critical theory, and culturally responsive or sustaining pedagogy" and "establish a shared understanding of foundational concepts and issues related to race, racism, and racial equity".
Previous coverage:
EXPOSED: "Anti-White" professional development curriculum for created by UNC and WCPSS (No. 64 — Mar. 23, 2024)
UNC Pro-Palestine Encampment Shutdown Timeline
Friday, April 19th
UNC Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) makes their first attempt at a pro-Palestine "Triangle Gaza Solidarity Encampment".
After the university administration inform the demonstrators that their tents were not allowed under the Facilities Use Standard, the encampment is packed in.
UNC Students for Justice in Palestine hold "encampment" in support of anti-Israel demonstrators at Columbia University (No. 68 — Apr. 20, 2024)
Friday, April 26th
UNC SJP return to the campus for a second go at the "Triangle Gaza Solidarity Encampment", along with students and faculty from Duke and NC State.
The demonstrators set up their tents at Polk Place without tent poles in order to avoid the administration's restrictions on "structures".
Anti-Israel protesters make 2nd attempt at UNC encampment (No. 69 — Apr. 27, 2024)
Sunday, April 28th
~3:15 pm
500+ demonstrators participate in a march around the UNC campus in a march sponsored by the UNC SJP, as well as "the North and South Carolina branch of the Party for Socialism and Liberation, the Triangle chapter of Jewish Voice for Peace and the NC Triangle Democratic Socialists of America"
Hundreds of community members rally and march across campus in solidarity with Palestine - Daily Tar Heel
~6:45 pm
Demonstrators begin erecting their tents, in direct defiance of the administration's policy: "We have safety in numbers, we care for each other."
Protesters within pro-Palestinian encampment put tents back up in violation with UNC policy - Daily Tar Heel
~10:00 pm
Encampment hosts viewing of documentary on Leila Khaled a terrorist and member of the "revolutionary socialist" Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine
Monday, April 29th
~2:00 pm
Demonstrators prepare for police intervention in response to their deliberate rule-breaking, coordinating those members who are willing to risk arrest
~5:30 pm
The pro-Palestine encampment is attracting counter-protesters, including a group of young men holding Israeli flags
~6:30 pm
Demonstrators march, carrying around signs as well, as the tents they have erected
Tuesday, April 30th
~5:30 am
Interim Chancellor Lee Roberts and Provost J. Christopher Clemens issue statement demand demonstrators vacate Polk Place, citing the violation of university policies, and trespassing into classroom buildings during the nights
Pro-Palestinian protesters take down U.S. flag replace it with Palestine flag on UNC quad - ABC11
~6:00 am
Police move in and begin making dozens of arrests, including Assistant Professor of Cultural Anthropology at Duke University Emily Lim Rogers, who claims the police took her cane and threw her to the ground, partially dislocating her shoulder
There do not appear to be many (if any) journalists at the encampment early in the morning, but there is video shared by the organizers
~6:45 am
Demonstrators reportedly attempt to enter South Building
Pro-Palestinian protesters take down U.S. flag replace it with Palestine flag on UNC quad - ABC11
~10:05 am
Demonstrators use banners, umbrellas, and beach towels in antifa style counter-media tactics to block and harass media attempting to film the arrestees as they are released from the Orange County Detention Center
~11:30 am
UNC SJP hosts silent vigil at Wilson Library, followed by march by 300+ participants back to South Building
~12:15 pm
UNC Faculty for Justice in Palestine lead 300+ demonstrators march to South Building
~1:45 pm
Demonstrators begin removing barricades placed by police earlier in the morning, to reoccupy the location of the encampment. Police stand by and watch.
Demonstrators immediately take down American flag (at half-mast for the law enforcement killed in Charlotte), and replace it with a Palestinian flag. UNC SJP shares a photo of the Palestinian flag in celebration.
~2:00 pm
Counter-protesters attempt to put barricades back in place as they face off with the demonstrators, who have circled around the occupied flagpole
~2:30 pm
Interim Chancellor Roberts leads law enforcement officers to the flagpole, pushing through and clashing with the demonstrators as them attempt to forcefully keep them away, making use of the police's own barricades as well as improvised projectiles such as water bottles.
~3:00 pm
Roberts and the group of law enforcement leave Polk Place once the flag has been restored
While Roberts takes a victory lap in front of the press with an impromptu press conference on the steps of South Building, demonstrators move back in and once again remove the American flag
This time, it's the counter-protesters who move in to protect the flag, primarily composed of "frat bros"
Altercation between demonstrators and counter-protesters - Source unknown, Twitter/X
~3:15 pm
UNC-Chapel Hill issues "Condition 2" alert, cancelling classes and suspending non-mandatory operations
~3:40 pm
Counter-protestors retreat from Polk Place with American flag, reconvening by South Building with Israeli flags
~4:00 pm
UNC SJP leadership declare a retreat, and order a dispersal due to increasing police presence.
~6:25 pm
Police have taken back control of Polk Place, and university faculty return the American flag to its rightful place
Wednesday, May 1st
UNC SJP is temporarily suspended by the university, while "violations of University polices" are being investigated via the student conduct process.
Suspended student organizations may not participate in official activities, use facilities, or receive funding from student fees or the university.
Safety Update about Recent Campus Events - UNC-Chapel Hill
UNC-Chapel Hill Faculty Executive Committee holds emergency meeting to discuss "discuss events related to the protests on campus".
Committee member Anthony Charles describes it as "not a good look for the interim chancellor to be standing on the steps of the south building with armed guards next to him", accusing him of "ma[king] the stituation a lot worse".
'It was not a good look': UNC committee discusses interim chancellor's actions during pro-Palestinian protests - WRAL
Eight elected officials from the Chapel Hill and Carrboro town councils issue a statement "strongly condemn[ing]" the police action by the university, accusing the the administration of "creat[ing] and environment that inevitably resulted in an escalation of force", and calling on District Attorney Jeff Nieman to dismiss all charges against the demonstrators who were arrested.
Group of Chapel Hill, Carrboro Elected Officials ‘Strongly Condemn’ UNC’s Police Response to Protesters - Chapelboro.com
Friday, May 3rd
200+ pro-Palestine demonstrators gather to march through the UNC campus again. Although speakers encouraged the crowd to "disrupt the world around us as much as possible", the march was reportedly peaceful.
Pro-Palestinian protesters march again. It was a different scene on Franklin Street. - N&O
Sunday, May 5th
UNC SJP holds a rally at UNC once again, this time announcing some "faculty, instructors, and teaching assistants" will be withholding grades in order to demand amnesty for those arrested and suspended
Arrests
Some protesters in UNC pro-Palestinian rally face serious charges: Orange County DA - ABC11
In total, 36 arrests were made in conjunction with the week's demonstrations, including 30 who were cited for trespassing, and 6 who were charged with more serious crimes of resisting/obstructing/delaying officers, or assault
UNC has yet to release the identifies of the 30 who were cited for trespassing, despite this being a public record, but we do know the identity of at least one, the Duke Assistant Professor mentioned above (Emily Lim Rogers). However, it's been reported that only 10 of these 30 were UNC-Chapel Hill students.
Court records have revealed the identifies of those charged with more serious crimes:
Resisting, obstructing and delaying law enforcement:
Emi Abe-teh (UNC)
Stephen Sandor (UNC)
Gurnoor Majhail (Duke)
Tashia Ethridge (Duke)
Assault:
Jackson Prause (UNC)
Owen Stone
DA Response
Prior to the law enforcement actions on Tuesday, the District Attorney of Orange and Chatham Counties, Jeff Nieman, spoke with ABC11 about the possibility of 1st amendment related arrests:
"People who are protesting absolutely have a right to voice their concerns and make their protest. But the other people on the campus have their right to go to class, to be taught by their teachers."
"We talk about this all the time, the First Amendment is not 100% unlimited," said Nieman.
However, Nieman added that if protesters remain peaceful, don't damage property and importantly, don't infringe on the rights of other students - then they're largely protected.
"People who are protesting absolutely have a right to voice their concerns and make their protest," said Nieman. "But the other people on the campus have their right to go to class, to be taught by their teachers."
After UNC officials told protesters that pitching tents on campus violated university policy, Nieman says it remained to be seen if campus policy such as the one cited Friday could be grounds to legally break up a peaceful protest.
"That is where we could get into sort of a higher level debate that actually could find its way into the courtroom where we're debating whether or not the policy being enforced is a reasonable infringement on First Amendment rights," he said.
Nieman did say that protesters would be prosecuted by his office - should they find the law was fairly and appropriately applied in the course of any potential arrests that are made.
"I have heard that there are some offices that have made sort of more categorical statements that they just aren't interested in prosecuting protest-related offenses," he said. "And that's just not our view of it. We would look at a case-by-case basis. And if it meets that standard, then we would go forward with a prosecution."
Source: UNC, Duke, NCSU students continue campus pro-Palestinian protest in Chapel Hill - [ABC11](https://abc11.com/unc-chapel-hill-duke-ncsu-students-pro-palenstinian-protests-triangle-gaza-solidarity-encampment/14741737/*
On Wednesday, Nieman clarified in a post on Twitter/X that his comments were made prior to the arrests, and that it would be "improper" to comment on currently pending cases.
"Frat bros" defending flag attracts viral attention, $500k fundraiser
A $516,672 frat party? Fund-raiser about UNC flag protest closes. But questions remain. - N&O
More than $480K raised for UNC-Chapel Hill frat party, but who is behind the GoFundMe? - WUNC
Organizer of viral fundraiser for UNC frat 'rager' creating board to plan party, give to charities - WRAL
UNC-Chapel Hill Students Praised For Saving American Flag From Anti-Israel Protesters: ‘This Is America’ - Daily Wire
UNC chancellor personally raises American flag on campus after Gaza activists remove it, put up Palestinian flag - Post Millennial
An image captured by Parker Ali of the counter-protesters holding up the American flag after the police left with the Interim Chancellor has gone viral, with a GoFundMe to throw the "frat bros" a party attracting over a half-million in donations.
The images and video have attracted millions of views in multiple posts on Twitter/X, and already made it into a video put out by the Trump campaign.
The humorous fundraiser, created by John Noonan, a local with Republican political ties, called for donations to throw a "rager" for the "boat shoed Broletariat" who "protected Old Glory from the unwashed Marxist horde". The campaign took off unexpectedly, raising $516,647 before being closed.
The funds will reportedly be used to throw a "world class party", as well as distributed to "great charities", with the input of the fraternities whose members were involved, including Pi Kappa Phi and AEPI.
In addition, country music star John Rich has offered to play a free concert for them called "Flagstock".
Although the young men have been portrayed in some media as merely incensed by the disrespect to the American flag, and disinterested in the Israeli-Palestine issue, that is perhaps not the case (at least for all the students).
Isaac Maleh, one of the flag defenders, told Laura Ingraham on Fox News that he, as well as "a lot of members that were holding up that flag", were Orthodox Jews who were there "first and foremost for our country of Israel" as counter-protesters. "When this becomes an American issue, that hits double hard," said Maleh, "that really hits us both in our religious country, and our home [country], that we really feel is deeply important to us."
Lee Roberts receives public support for permanent chancellor position
Lee Roberts should be made UNC chancellor permanently, GOP legislative leaders say - N&O
‘Lawless Nonsense’: NC Republicans React to UNC Protests, Police Responses - Chapelboro.com
Praise rolls in for Roberts, fraternity for protecting the flag at UNC - Carolina Journal
NC House Speaker Tim Moore and NC Senate leader Phil Berger have both expressed their support for Roberts to be upgraded from interim chancellor to the permanent position after his "incredible leadership" in taking police action against the encampment, as well as leading police to briefly restore the American flag which had been removed by the demonstrators.
Senator Ted Budd has also expressed support for Roberts, describing the situation as "a model for other universities and for other leaders across the nation".