UNC pro-Palestine encampment (take 3) | Misbehaving children disrupt Wake Forest concerts | Mother of "shaken" baby dies
No. 71 — May 5-May 11, 2024
Pro-Palestinian demonstrators begin third encampment at UNC
The UNC Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) are apparently not deterred by last weeks crackdown, arrests, and suspensions, holding multiple events this week culminating in a third try at an encampment on UNC grounds started today:
Monday, May 6th
UNC SJP obtained the signatures of over 750 UNC faculty and staff on a letter delivered to the university administration on Monday. The letter called for "amnesty" for the 15+ students arrested and/or suspended in relation to last week's encampment.
UNC has responded swiftly to the threats for grades to be withheld in support of UNC SJP's call for amnesty in a letter to UNC faculty: "the provost's office will support sanctions for any instructor who is found to have improperly withheld grades".
UNC faculty criticize discipline for demonstrators. Will they withhold grades in protest? - N&O
More than 760 UNC faculty sign petition for amnesty for students suspended after pro-Palestine demonstrations - WRAL
UNC Faculty Group Shares Support of Student Protesters, Could Withhold Final Grades in Solidarity - Chapelboro.com
Letter by faculty and staff for students' right to free speech and protest - pdf
UNC responds to demonstrators asking for students to be given amnesty after protests - ABC11
Wednesday, May 8th
UNC SJP holds another demonstration calling for UNC faculty to withhold grades
Daily Tar Heel, Twitter/X
The demonstrators escalate by following UNC Provost Chris Clemens to his car, and surrounding it in the parking lot. UNC Police are able to push them back, but the demonstrators still follow the vehicle as far as the intersection.
Thursday, May 9th
Pro-Palestine protesters seen waving flags on I-40 overpass between Durham and Raleigh
Saturday, May 11th
UNC Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) started a third "Triangle Gaza Solidarity Encampment" on the UNC-Chapel Hill campus, this time around the university's bell tower.
The demonstrators also vandalized university property with red paint and chalk for an event they called "The People's Graduation Ceremony" in support of the seniors suspended in relation to last week's encampment. University workers responded quickly by power washing the graffiti they left, ahead of the actual graduation ceremony in the evening.
Pro-Palestine protestors plan to disrupt UNC graduation ceremony this weekend - Carolina Journal
Pro-Palestinian protesters deface UNC's South Building with red paint, chalk - ABC11
Town, businesses complain of youth behavior during monthly Wake Forest downtown concert
Wake Forest officials, businesses want big crowds, better behavior at Friday Night on White - ABC11
North Carolina town considering teen curfew to curb rowdy behavior - FOX8
Wake Forest considers teen curfew for Friday Night on White - WRAL
Appeal to Parents - Town of Wake Forest (Facebook)
The Town of Wake Forest is considering implementing an 8 pm curfew for unsupervised minors (under 16) during the monthly downtown event "Friday Night on White", or even shutting it down entirely if the misbehavior of teen and pre-teen "troublemakers" cannot be brought under control.
The "kids" are reportedly getting in fights, being rude and obnoxious, and even shoplifting:
"Unfortunately, just when we have a lot of unsupervised kids in here, they get up to trouble. We've had a vendor who, after this past Friday Night on White, just had a bunch of missing items, just boxes that were empty, some destroyed items, too," added Kristin Becker, Director of Communications for The Cotton Company.
Source: Wake Forest officials, businesses want big crowds, better behavior at Friday Night on White - ABC11
In the brief times I have wandered through downtown Wake Forest on one of these nights recently, I too have noticed the high ratio of unsupervised teens to adults/families (though I didn't witness any misbehavior).
Mother of infant in WakeMed "Shaken Baby Syndrome" case reported dead
Official Obituary of Savannah Rae Bliss - Davis-Little Funerals
In a tragic update to an already tragic story I've been covering here, Savannah Rae Bliss passed away on Thursday, May 9th, according to her obituary. No information was provided as to the cause of her death.
Savannah's husband, Noah Benjamin Bliss, is currently in jail in the Wake County on murder charges related to the death of their newborn son Gunner in October 2023.
According to what we know, Baby Gunner was lone with his father when he suffered a fatal brain-bleed just days after being released from the NICU at the WakeMed hospital. The father, Noah Bliss, was first charged with felony child abuse, then first degree murder after Baby Gunner was removed from life support.
Although the police/DA believe that the injuries Baby Gunner sustained were due to his father violently shaking him, brain bleeds are known to be a risk factor for premature infants (Baby Gunner and his twin sister were born at 34 weeks). I will continue to keep y'all updated as the story develops.
Savannah Bliss is survived by Baby Gunner's twin sister, as well as a slightly older daughter.
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