In the wake of a disturbing incident at a student gathering on Monday night — where a person unaffiliated with the university verbally harassed the group and vandalized the space — several UNC Black student organizations are offering support to those affected while condemning racism on campus.
Dozens of students arrived at UNC’s Greenlaw Hall for a watch party of the Season 8 reunion of the reality television show “Love Island” on Monday, which was organized by the African Student Association of UNC alongside the UNC Black Student Movement, HBUNC Media Group and Sis2Sis campus group. Less than an hour into the event, a white man entered the academic hall and began disrupting the party by taking food and yelling at students. According to The News & Observer, students began to fear the man had a weapon and they started to flee the building or hide under desks. Video from campus shared by UNC Black Ink showed the suspect acting erratically outside of Greenlaw Hall, including briefly spraying an aerosol can toward a lighter to create larger flames.
UNC said its campus police department received a call of an individual harassing and threatening students at 9:21 p.m., with officers arriving to the scene 17 minutes after the first dispatch call and detaining the man. The suspect, whose name is not listed in the incident report and has not been publicly unidentified as of Wednesday morning, was admitted to the hospital for “exhibiting signs of mental distress.” After the man is medically cleared to be discharged, he will face charges of disorderly conduct, vandalism, damage to property and aggravated assault — with the university adding in a statement to Chapelboro that he will be banned from returning to campus.
Photo via UNC Commuter Alternative Program on Facebook.
In the wake of the incident, several students and student groups shared their fears and frustrations over the man’s verbal abuse directed toward the people gathered for the watch party. On Tuesday, the UNC Black Student Movement shared a statement saying its leaders are “deeply saddened and disturbed” by the actions of the man, calling him a “violent individual” whose hateful language made people feel unsafe.
“We extend our deepest apologies, love, and support to everyone who was present and affected by this incident,” read the statement. “No one should ever have to experience racism, intimidation, or fear in a space intended for community and fellowship. We stand firmly against racism, hatred, and any actions that threaten the safety and well-being of our community. We are thinking of everyone impacted and remain committed to fostering spaces where all members of our community feel safe, valued and supported.”
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The African Student Association also shared a statement, writing: “Unfortunately, given the events that unfolded last night, it is deeply concerning that an individual with no apparent connection to the University was able to enter Greenlaw 101 and proceed to vehemently harass and verbally abuse our students, directing racial language toward a room filled predominantly with Black and Brown students.
“Our organizations work tirelessly to create spaces where students can gather, celebrate, build community, and feel safe and respected,” the ASA continued. “What occurred last night directly undermined that purpose.”
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UNC uses the Alert Carolina system to issue warnings to the campus community when there are active or impending emergencies on campus. The university’s media relations team said an Alert Carolina was not issued over Monday’s incident “because there was no ongoing threat to campus safety” after the suspect was detained, and cited the Clery Act’s guidelines that dictate requirements for issuing such alerts. Not every Clery Act criminal incident rises to the level of a crime alert, according to the university’s compliance website, based on whether the situation poses a “continuing threat” to public safety.
UNC Media Relations did not confirm whether campus-wide messaging about available resources to students had been shared — but the Dean of Students, Desirée Rieckenberg, sent an email to student leaders on Tuesday that passed along links to Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS), the Heels Care Network, Student Wellness, and University Compliance Office’s report and response managers. The resources were similarly shared by the UNC Black Student Movement, African Student Association, student executive branch and other groups.
“Incidents, like what you experienced last night contradict our values and are harmful to those impacted, as well as our community,” Rickenberg wrote. “Moving forward, my immediate goal is focused on the care and support of those with immediate impacts. To this end we are actively coordinating next steps, including outreach and direct connections to the University Compliance Office (UCO) Report and Response Manager (RRM) and/or a member of the Dean of Students (DOS) team.”
UNC Student Body President Devin Duncan also sent a message on Tuesday to student leaders and the campus groups who organized Monday’s watch party. He encouraged students to reach out to him directly, while saying he would coordinate any response and resources with university officials.
“I’ve heard loud and clear from many of you how frightening this experience was,” Duncan wrote in the email, which was later shared with Chapelboro. “No student should have to experience racist language or feel unsafe while simply gathering in community with their peers. The safety and well-being of every Tar Heel is incredibly important, and I want to make sure those impacted know they are not navigating the aftermath of this incident alone.”
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