The Old Post Office Building on Franklin Street in downtown Chapel Hill, a facility owned by the town of Chapel Hill, is currently displaying a banner which contains what many have said is an anti-semitic symbol.
One banner shows a young woman in a UNC regulation cap and gown wearing a keffiyeh with the message “#GOODTROUBLE” overlaid. The banner presumably represents a participant in last semester’s campus wide protests that saw widespread vandalism, destruction of property, and the echoing of anti-semtic messages such as “From the River to the Sea”.
Local artists who live within 40 miles of Chapel Hill can apply for design banners that will be displayed for 12 months at the Old Post Office Building. The town also awards $3,000 to the artist for completing the project, according to the town’s website.
The building is currently displaying three banners as part of its long-running art installation. One banner shows an image of civil rights activist, James “TT” Foushee, who participated in protests during the 1960s. Another one depicts fists in the air with the message, “Learning, Serving & Working Together”.
On May 11th, the day of last semester’s graduation ceremony, members of the Students for Justice in Palestine organization vandalized the South Building and attempted to disrupt Chancellor Lee Robert’s commencement address. The South Building had several messages of graffiti including “You support genocide” and “Lee Roberts is a fascist.” The event was marketed as “The People’s Graduation” on Instagram. Organizers encouraged participants to “BRING YOUR KUFFIYEHS. BRING YOUR JOY. BRING YOUR VOICE.” 36 protesters were detained by police and six were arrested on charges of trespassing. The events led UNC Police to obtain a search warrant to examine the group’s social media account.
The keffiyeh scarf has been worn by prominent Palestinian leaders such as former PLO chairman Yasser Arafat before his death, and the former leader of Hamas, Yahya Sinwar. Sinwar, the mastermind behind the October 7th terrorist attack in which thousands of civilians were murdered, was even seen wearing a black and white keffiyeh scarf when he was killed by the Israeli Defence Force, according to video footage. The keffiyeh scarf has become a symbol of anti-Israel protests across the country, of which many have been labeled anti-semitic. For instance, hedge fund manager and pro-Israel activist Bill Ackman called the scarf the “…flag of anti-Israel, pro-Hamas, pro-Hezbollah and Israel- and American-flag-burning protestors on campuses and elsewhere.”
The Carolina Review reached out to the town of Chapel Hill for comment. Media Relations Manager Alex Carrasquillo told the Review “[t]hese mural banners are an ongoing public art project located at Peace & Justice Plaza that highlight art from local artists on the themes of peace and justice, with a particular focus on racism, anti-racism, and/or the struggle for racial justice.” Carrasquillo also forwarded the Review the description of the banners from the artist, who he did not name. The artist said the banner displayed “…the image of a graduate, adorned in their blue cap and gown, defiantly protesting, embodying the spirit of courage and determination we’ve witnessed from some community members.” Additionally, the artist asserted the banners “…evoke the essence of the ongoing struggle for racial justice, each element a testament to the indomitable spirit of those who dare to challenge the status quo.”
The town of Chapel Hill did not comment regarding concerns that the banners conveyed anti-semitic messaging or whether the town endorsed the events of May 11th.
