Silent Sam.
The Confederate monument known as Silent Sam stood on UNC-Chapel Hill’s campus for 105 years. The bronze statue of an unknown soldier facing north with a rifle was erected by white supremacists in 1913 and torn down by anti-racists in 2018. Both its presence and its absence have been the cause of on-going strife within the local community, the student body, and university administration. The News & Observer continues to report on the ever-changing landscape of this conflict.
On Monday, August 20, 2018 anti-racist protesters toppled Silent Sam. In the weeks and months afterward, several violent clashes occurred between anti-racists (both UNC students and local community members) and pro-Confederates from surrounding areas. Clashes also occurred between anti-racists and various law enforcement agencies. Read more about the controversial monument and the university’s handling of protests here.
Video by Julia Wall, additional footage by Travis Long
The Saturday after Silent Sam fell, pro-Confederate protesters from nearby communities rallied where the monument stood. A student was assaulted and several people were arrested. This event kicked off months of similar clashes on campus between the two opposing groups and between anti-racists and law enforcement.
Pro-Confederate protesters scheduled frequent visits to UNC via facebook to protest. On Saturday, September 8, 2018 anti-racists held a canned food drive counter-protest. Cans were confiscated and several violent arrests were made by university police, who were assisted by a heavily armed sheriff’s department unit.