Some members of board of trustees, which voted for divestment, cited students’ Gaza protests as reason for redesignation of funds
the University of North Carolina (UNC), Chapel Hill announced that it would divert the school’s entire $2.3m diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) budget toward public safety and policing.
Some members of the board of trustees, which voted for the divestment, cited students’ recent anti-war demonstrations as a reason for the redesignation of funds to the campus police.
Monday’s unanimous board vote affects UNC Chapel Hill’s diversity funding, and could lead to the shuttering of the department and job losses. Conversely, the public safety and policing departments are getting a boost to their $14m budget.
Two weeks ago, student protesters at the school created an encampment on campus in solidarity with Palestine and against Israel’s ongoing war in Gaza. Thirty-six people were detained after refusing to disperse from campus; 27 people were cited for trespassing and released; and six others were arrested and charged with trespassing.
Though local Chapel Hill police were not involved, the UNC campus police were supported by North Carolina State University’s police, UNC Wilmington’s police, Appalachian State University’s police, state patrol officers and sheriff deputies (dressed in what looked like riot gear), according to the Daily Tarheel.
