UNC Student Coalition & UNC Against Police Brutality Present Demands To Administration
Chapel Hill, NC – In the wake of unwarranted and brutal arrests in McCorkle Place (on UNC campus) – and in recognition of the long history of police violence against non-white residents of Chapel Hill—a group of concerned members of the UNC community has come together to form UNC Against Police Brutality.
On August 25th, August 30th, and September 8th, 2018, anti-racist activists organized peaceful counter-demonstrations. Events included a dance party against white supremacy, and a community potluck and food drive. This was in response to events planned by SPLC-designated (Southern Poverty Law Center) white supremacist hate groups such as ACTBAC, the Oath Keepers, and New Confederate States of America.
These events were meant to demonstrate that violent racist groups are not welcome on our campus. At these events, police safely escorted white supremacists onto and off of campus. This was while punishing anti-racist protestors with chemical weapons, excessive force, and unwarranted arrests. Neither Chancellor Folt nor any other member of UNC’s administration have acknowledged the police brutality. They are complicit and responsible for the violence that anti-racist activists have faced at the hands of UNC Police.
Chancellor Folt and the UNC administration have also deliberately failed to acknowledge or name the “pro-Silent Sam” groups coming to campus as white supremacists, though members of these groups have publicly organized their events, and have also publicly threatened the lives and safety of campus activists and students.
In addition, the UNC administration and police have coordinated with white supremacists to provide on-campus parking and police escorts. Meanwhile, in an attempt to discredit anti racist activists, Carol Folt has referred to anti-racist activism as “mob rule” from “outside agitators,” despite the involvement of numerous UNC students, faculty members, and workers.
Under these conditions, members of the campus community concerned with and directly affected by this administration’s violence and intimidation feel that the UNC administration must be held accountable.
At 1:45 pm on September 20th, 2018, UNC Against Police Brutality delivered the following demands to Chancellor Carol Folt on the Steps of the South Building.
(NOTE: Chancellor Folt would not see activists and has not acknowledged these demands at the time of writing.)
- Stop criminal proceedings against the 25 UNC anti-racist protestors.
We demand that Chancellor Folt call on District Attorney Jim Woodall, the police, and the State Bureau of Investigation to drop the charges, end investigations, and lift “no trespass” orders levied against the 25 UNC anti- racist protesters.
There has been overwhelming local and national support for the actions of UNC anti-racist protestors, including from our student government leaders, over 400 UNC Black faculty members, and many UNC academic departments and student groups. Only by calling for an end to criminal proceedings against us can Chancellor Folt begin to join her community on the right side of history.
- Stop police brutality and excessive force.
We demand that Chancellor Folt forbid police from carrying guns, chemical weapons, and tasers to protests on UNC’s campus, and that she issue a statement condemning police excessive use of force against students.
In the past month, police have thrown us through the air and onto the ground. They have put us in chokeholds so we couldn’t breathe, and told us they didn’t care when we begged them to stop. They have manhandled us, carrying our terrified bodies through the air and then cynically charging us with resisting arrest. During one white supremacist demonstration, police, without warning, deployed pepper spray against students and the media. During another, police held tasers to protestors’ throats. During another, one officer reached for his gun. Anti-racist protestors know we are not safe while police are armed, and expect UNC Administration to speak out against what has happened to us.
- Stop inviting outside police agencies onto our campus.
We demand that Chancellor Folt ban the UNC Police Department’s collaboration with violent police agitators.
During recent white supremacist demonstrations, we have been harmed by police from as far away as Asheville, Wilmington, and Greensboro, and as close as Chapel Hill. Greensboro Police were particularly violent towards us. Their commander deployed pepper spray against us for no reason, and acted with such excessive violence that we saw him being held back by fellow officers. Far from apologizing, Greensboro Police congratulated themselves on a job well done. We know that the only “outside agitators” on our campus are those UNC Police themselves are inviting. This has to end.
- Stop coordinating with white supremacists and racists.
We demand that Chancellor Folt prohibit any further coordination between UNC (including UNC Police) and white supremacist groups (including ACTBAC, Oath Keepers, and CSA II).
During the past two white supremacist demonstrations at UNC, we have seen UNC Police close the Morehead Planetarium parking lot to everyone except white supremacists. They then escort the white supremacists onto and off of our campus, protecting them by hitting us with their bikes and bodies. We have bruised and bled. We will not accept police protecting white supremacists and attacking students.
- Stop targeting, harassing, and spying on anti-racist protesters.
We demand that Chancellor Folt stop the persecution of anti-racist protesters, including the use of surveillance and undercover infiltration techniques.
During last year’s student occupation of Silent Sam, UNC Police deployed an undercover officer to surveil anti-racist protestors who had been threatened by white supremacists. FOIA records have shown that plain-clothes police have also been deployed at several protests and on-campus anti-racist events and gatherings. Police showed up at one UNC student defendant’s academic department and demanded that staff hand over information about him, in violation of the law. We condemn the harassment and intimidation of UNC anti-racist protestors.