Reactions pour in after arrests, clearing of protesters at UNC: 'It's traumatizing'

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (WTVD) -- The U.S. flag remained half-staff and surrounded by several barriers Wednesday, a day after hundreds of protesters clashed with police at the University of North Carolina.

"Yes, they were violating a law, but we let them do that for four days," UNC faculty member Mark Peifer said. "This protest probably would have ended quietly because final exams start tomorrow."

Some faculty members such as Peifer sympathized with their students who said they were only given 20 minutes to clear the encampment before police detained 36 protesters, 10 of whom were UNC students.

"We had experienced so much force and brutality. It's traumatizing," Haya said.

SEE ALSO | Demonstrators gather at UNC Chapel Hill in solidarity with ongoing conflict in middle east

Haya, who identified as a Palestinian-American student at UNC, criticized the university's handling of the pro-Palestine protests.

"I feel very upset and betrayed by the university for how they showed us how much they cared, which is very little, and how much force they use against us," Haya said.

Haya's feelings are echoed among several town council members in Chapel Hill and Carrboro who issued a statement on Wednesday condemning the university for what they said is an "overreaction."

FULL STATEMENT FROM AREA COUNCILMEMBERS

The statement was signed by four Chapel Hill Town Council members and four Carrboro Town Council members, who also called on the district attorney Jeff Nieman to dismiss the charges against the six people who were arrested. Three of whom were identified as UNC Chapel Hill students.

District attorney Jeff Nieman released a statement that said in part once he receives and reviews all the evidence in these cases, then and only then will he make decisions regarding prosecution.

FULL STATEMENT FROM JEFF NIEMAN

With the quad relatively empty and quiet Wednesday after tensions rose at the flagpole when the American flag was replaced and put back up, some students said they feel the issue remains unsettled as protesters demand the university reveal any of its financial ties to Israel.

"It's not hard," Haya said. "The simplest thing we're asking is transparency: disclosure and divestment."

UNC leaders said Tuesday they were disappointed they had to take action against protesters, saying they had previous talks with protest leaders about what would be allowed and what would not.

"No one has the right to disrupt campus operations materially, nor to threaten or intimidate our students, nor to damage and destroy public property," the university said. Read the university's full statement here.