(NewsNation) — Some of the University of North Carolina students who protected the American flag from being torn down during pro-Palestinian protests in early May were honored Wednesday night at the Republican National Convention.

“When a mob tried to take down the American flag on our campus, we knew we couldn’t let that happen,” Phi Delta Theta member Alex Johnson told the delegates in Milwaukee.

“We stood guard, we held it up, and we did not let it fall. It was all about respect. Not just for the cloth, but for everything the flag stands for.”

Video of the students’ action went viral, and country music star John Rich promised to perform at a party, which was funded by more than $500,000 quickly raised on a GoFundMe page.

“I really didn’t do any of this with the intention of coming here … or getting anything out of it,” student Hugh Reeves told NewsNation’s “On Balance.” “In the moment, I was thinking about my godfather, who had served 20 years in the Air Force. I don’t want to see my flag disrespected like that.

Johnson told NewsNation it wasn’t about blind patriotism, but informed love and respect.

“If you love something, you should be critical of it. Being able to respect the symbol of the nation that give you the right to protest is critical for every American,” he said.