UNC tries to regulate marching band protests

By John Thomas

Members of the UNC marching band are facing new rules about the way they protest at football games. At UNC’s last home game against Pittsburgh two weeks ago, four members of the band kneeled during the national anthem.

They did so as part of a larger student protest spearheaded by the Black Lives Matter movement.

This week, band members say they were told they cannot kneel on the field during the anthem. Instead, if they want to protest, they can sit with other protesters in the stands during the anthem or wear a ribbon on their uniform. Band members we spoke with say this agreement was sorted out during discussions this week with band directors, though a University spokeswoman says she has no knowledge of any official policy on the issue.

Band members we spoke with say the agreement was sorted out during discussions this week with band directors, though a University spokeswoman says she has no knowledge of any official policy on the issue.

UNC freshman Hanna Watson isn’t in the band, but she was among about 100 other students who remained seated during the anthem at the game, clad in black shirts with fists raised in the air.

 

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