The signs appeared on the university’s main quad during the week of October 7, 2024 — after a year of student protests springing up nationwide against Israel’s war on Gaza.
The “Notice of Restrictions” posted at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill’s campus included a list of do’s and don’ts — mostly don’ts. Don’t wear masks to conceal one’s identity. Don’t throw any objects, besides those traditionally used for recreational purposes, like a frisbee. Don’t set up camp: “No temporary structures whatsoever, including but not limited to stages, tents, chairs, hammocks, tables, signs and displays.”
Do carry a student ID if you need to access certain buildings.
The new rules appeared designed to stifle student protests, without explicitly saying as much.
“It’s a vague threat for anyone who wants to organize, to anyone that wants to express their First Amendment…