Charlottesville-Like Rally At University Of North Carolina? Social Media Rumors Suggest

Social media rumors suggest that a planned rally is likely to take place Tuesday evening near a statue of a Confederate soldier nicknamed “Silent Sam” at the University of North Carolina (UNC) at Chapel Hill. Officials at the university are concerned whether the rally poses a risk to public safety, similar to what happened at the recent Charlottesville rally, reports said.

A flier titled "The first day of Silent Sam’s last semester" referred to a rally at the statue on UNC's campus Tuesday, according to a report.

Margaret Spellings, the president of UNC, sent a letter to Gov. Roy Cooper on Monday expressing her concern over the rally and asking for his help in addressing the “significant safety and security threats” related to the "Silent Sam" memorial, reports said.

Spellings also wrote about the recent toppling of a Confederate statue in downtown Durham, North Carolina, and the damage to the Confederate statue of Gen. Robert E. Lee at Duke University, and how it “added to a climate that threatens to make similar statues a flash point for violence that could spiral out of control."

Cooper replied to the UNC officials saying they had the "authority" to take immediate action if they believed that the statue on the campus is causing "threats to public safety," according to his letter obtained by the News & Observer.

"If the University and its leadership believe such a dangerous condition is on campus, then the law gives it the authority to address those concerns. State law enforcement and emergency officials remain available to help and support the University as it navigates this process," Cooper wrote.

He further stated: "As you already are aware, my administration has stood shoulder-to-shoulder with the University and local law enforcement officials since the troubling unrest in Charlottesville, Virginia, to protect the safety of the University's students, faculty and staff."

The "Silent Sam" statue is the Confederate memorial erected in 1913 to honor alumni who served in the Civil War. It has been the subject of debate for many years and has been vandalized several times, Wral.com reported.

Carol Folt, Chancellor of the UNC at Chapel Hill, released a letter to the campus community Monday. The letter revealed that the planned rally was being promoted by groups not affiliated with the university, however, the event might draw attention among students in the campus, the News & Observer reported.

Meanwhile, UNC campus police and other law enforcement are preparing to ensure that Tuesday's planned rally and other similar events are safe. The university is also taking steps to discourage people from attending it and warning people to avoid the area around the "Silent Sam statue." The university fears due to the highly charged atmosphere, there might be a possibility of confrontation with outside groups.

The university authorities have said that people who choose to attend the rally should stay alert and vigilant, reports said.