(The Hill) — Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) said he is sending Chick-fil-A to counter protesters against pro-Palestinian protesters at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC) Saturday.
“I’m so proud of the courageous young men at @UNC that protected our flag and stood up for America against the pro-Hamas protesters on their campus,” Graham said in a post on the social platform X Saturday.
“The actions of these young men make me hopeful for the next generation’s love for our country,” Graham’s post continued. “Fellas, as a thank you for protecting Old Glory, @ChickfilA is on the way this morning, compliments of Team Graham!”
Members of the Pi Kappa Phi fraternity stopped an American flag from touching the ground at a Tuesday protest on campus at UNC. The members could be seen in viral videos holding up the flag as activists threw things at them, resulting in a GoFundMe for the fraternity brothers called “UNC Frat Bros Defended their Flag. Throw ‘em a Rager,” which now has raised more than $500,000.
Country music artist John Rich said Thursday he is willing to play at the “rager” for the fraternity members.
“I reached out and I said, ‘Boys, I sure am proud of you. When you have that big rager you guys are talking about on GoFundMe, I’d like to show up and play you a free concert,’” Rich said on NewsNation’s “On Balance” with host Leland Vittert. “And they hit back, and I think we’re gonna try to make that happen.”
Billionaire investor Bill Ackman, who has expressed his distaste for recent pro-Palestinian protests, donated $10,000 to the GoFundMe.
In recent weeks, protests have broken out on college campuses across the nation focused on Palestinian human rights and the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza amid the Israel-Hamas war.
The protests have also faced accusations of antisemitism, which protesters have pushed back against.
“We are frustrated by media distractions focusing on inflammatory individuals who do not represent us,” Columbia University protest leaders said in a statement last month. “Our members have been misidentified by a politically motivated mob.”
“We firmly reject any form of hate or bigotry and stand vigilant against non-students attempting to disrupt the solidarity being forged among students,” they continued. “Palestinian, Muslim, Arab, Jewish, Black and pro-Palestinian classmates and colleagues who represent the full diversity of our country.”
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