Flagstock 2024 is in the books.
If you remember back in May at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, anti-Israel protestors took down the American flag on the campus quad and replaced it with a Palestinian flag, a move that (understandably) upset quite a few people.
Police eventually escorted UNC chancellor Lee Roberts out to personally replace the stars and stripes, leading to a heated confrontation with the pro-Palestinian protestors. But after the flag was replaced, an unlikely group of heroes emerged to protect it from the angry mob: Frat bros.
A photo quickly went viral of the group of fraternity brothers protecting the American flag, singing the national anthem as it was being hoisted back above campus and smiling at protestors who were hurling things at them as they surrounded the flagpole.
(Thread) Today was a sad yet empowering day at Chapel Hill. When I walked to class, I saw the Palestinian flag raised on our quad flag pole, and was immediately upset at the act that these “protestors” had made. I cannot say I am fully educated on the Israel/Palestine conflict pic.twitter.com/tZrZEOSu8a
— Guillermo Estrada (@estradguillermo) April 30, 2024
One of the best photos of 2024 so far:
Fraternity brothers are pelted by anti-Israel protesters at UNC Chapel Hill while protecting the United States flag as it is re-hoisted following its removal by protesters.
Well done, gentleman. 🫡🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/0DiBQcVLBu
— Max Meyer (@mualphaxi) May 1, 2024
After their actions to protect the flag went viral, a GoFundMe was established to throw a rager for the frat bros. And John Rich offered to serve as the entertainment for the event with a free concert:
For the boys who protected the American flag at UNC, I'd like to offer a free concert for their celebration of freedom party👍(anybody know how to find these young men?)Maybe we could talk @dbongino into doing a live broadcast from their frat house? Cmon Dan, live a little🤣…
— John Rich🇺🇸 (@johnrich) May 1, 2024
Well Rich kept his promise, and this past weekend headed down to UNC for “Flagstock 2024,” along with some of his friends in the country music business.
Rich was joined by Lee Greenwood, Aaron Lewis, and John Ondrasik of Five for Fighting along with a surprise appearance from Roman Rene Ramirez of Sublime, and encouraged the students to remain patriotic:
“My question for you is this: Do you still love America?”
But the concert wasn’t without controversy, with one UNC student telling Fox News that some organizations were encouraging their members not to attend:
“There’s a lot of people who are in huge favor of this. They love this. And then there’s a lot of people who think this is a really bad idea.
I mean, I think some fraternities and sororities have been telling the people … ‘Hey, don’t come to this. We think it’s a bad look.’ And then some have been like, ‘Hey, please go to this is. It’s a really good look. It’s good for our fraternity and our sorority.’ …
But I don’t think there’s a consensus about this.”
@newsobserver After riding a monthslong wave of social media fame that even led to an appearance at July’s Republican National Convention, UNC-Chapel Hill fraternity brothers who held up the American flag during an April campus protest got the “rager” that a $515,000 GoFundMe promised to throw them. “Flagstock 2024,” an invite-only concert featuring country musicians Big & Rich and Lee Greenwood, among others, was held Monday evening at the Chapel Hill American Legion. Flagstock, which is not sponsored by the university, stemmed from a tense day of protests on the Chapel Hill campus this spring. Tap the link in our bio to learn more about the event. ✍️/🎥: Korie Dean #uncchapelhill #flagstock #uncfraternitybrothers #chapelhillnc #bigandrich #leegreenwood ♬ original sound – The News & Observer
