Arizona Republican U.S. Senate candidate Kari Lake extended a paid summer internship to the fraternity brothers who defended the U.S. flag during the University of North Carolina (UNC) at Chapel Hill protests, where pro-Palestinian demonstrators attempted to remove it.
In her X post, she wrote, “If any of these GREAT Young Men want a PAID summer internship with my campaign, consider yourself HIRED. Reach out to me, or someone on my team, and we’ll ensure your resume is at the top of the stack, with my approval attached to it.”
Lake told The Arizona Sun Times, “Those young men are the same age as my son Leo. When I saw that photo of them with our Flag, getting pelted by terrorist sympathizers, I saw Leo and his fraternity brothers. That’s some of the bravest students I’ve seen in one of the coolest photos I’ve seen. Hang it in the Louvre.”
Brothers of the Pi Kappa Phi fraternity prevented the American flag from touching the ground as they faced verbal insults, as depicted in circulating social media footage. Video shows the students defending the flag while a group of protestors targeted them by hurling objects.
Patriotic American students at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill protect the American flag from a pro-Hamas mob that cusses and spits at them. Brave men, righteous in Sodom. pic.twitter.com/FSEIjvzq3p
— Uri Kurlianchik (@VerminusM) May 2, 2024
Student Alex Jones and fraternity member Guillermo Estrada were photographed by Parker Ali as they protected the flag. In an X thread, Estrada stated, “My LDOC [last day of class] will be memorable in knowing that my fraternity brothers and others fought to keep the flag up. But it was also be memorable in knowing that so many yearn to disrespect it.”
(Thread) Yesterday, my fraternity brother @estradguillermo and I were photographed holding up the American flag in the Quad of UNC-Chapel Hill during the protests. Since then, these images have spread, receiving media coverage nationwide. pic.twitter.com/3HjaSXGiCL
— Alex Jones (@a_jones331) May 1, 2024
In the detailed thread on X, Jones recounted his experience of the day. He described how his walk to class was interrupted by the distressing sight of protestors replacing the American flag, which deeply upset him. Witnessing his country’s flag disrespected in favor of advocating for another left him profoundly troubled.
Jones continued by narrating how Interim Chancellor Lee Roberts, accompanied by police officers, attempted to rehang the flag amidst a barrage of profanity, obscene gestures, and thrown objects from the protestors. Despite the hostility, Jones observed the Greek community rallying together, singing the National Anthem as they raised the flag once more.
However, according to Jones, chaos ensued when Roberts departed, as protestors resumed their attempts to remove the flag. Jones and his fraternity brother, along with others, rushed to prevent it from touching the ground, enduring verbal abuse and physical assaults from the protestors. Reflecting on his upbringing in a military community, Jones emphasized his refusal to tolerate such disrespect towards his country.
“I will not stand for the disrespect these protestors cause for the sake of another country,” Jones said.
A GoFundMe page for UNC students who rushed to protect a U.S. flag that pro-Palestine protesters attempted to take down has garnered over $400,000 in donations as of Thursday morning.
On X, country singer John Rich has offered to host a free “celebration of freedom” party for the young patriots, envisioning the concert being dubbed #Flagstock.
These young men have gone viral, and there is an outpouring of support on social media for their valiant efforts in protecting the flag.
I owe everything to the hard work of my parents and this great nation, and I am proud to be among those who stood up for it yesterday.
I am proud to be an American.— Alex Jones (@a_jones331) May 1, 2024
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Christy Kelly is a reporter at The Arizona Sun Times and The Star News Network. Follow Christy on Twitter / X. Email tips to [email protected].
Photo “Kari Lake” by Gage Skidmore. CC BY-SA 2.0. Background Photo “Kari Lake Tweet” by Kari Lake.
