Police surround a Confederate monument during a protest to remove the statue at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill, N.C., Tuesday, Aug. 22, 2017.
Hundreds of people rallied Tuesday night at the University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill campus in opposition of a Confederate statue known as Silent Sam.
Protesters surrounded the bronze monument and later blocked traffic. They were heard chanting "Tear it down" and "Hey hey, ho ho. This racist statue's got to go," as police in riot gear protected the statue.
The rally came a week after protesters in front of a government building in Durham. Days later, Duke University chose to of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee from its chapel.
View a gallery of photos from the evening:
Credit Matt Couch / վ
/
վ
University police stand watch inside a barricade around the Silent Sam Statue at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Protestors for and against the statue’s removal attended rallies near the statue on Tuesday, August 22, 2017.
Credit Matt Couch / վ
/
վ
The Silent Sam monument stands prominently on the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s campus. Protesters for and against the statue’s removal attended rallies near the monument on Tuesday, August 22, 2017.
Credit Matt Couch / վ
/
վ
A protester against the Silent Sam monument stands near a barricade around the statue at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Protesters for and against the statue’s removal attended rallies near the monument on Tuesday, August 22, 2017.
Credit Matt Couch / վ
/
վ
Cheyenne Wiley (center), a supporter of the Silent Sam monument, argues with protesters over whether or not the monument to the Confederate cause should be removed at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill on Tuesday, August 22, 2017. Protesters for and against the statue’s removal attended rallies near the statue.
Credit Matt Couch / վ
/
վ
A lone supporter of the Silent Sam monument debates with multiple protesters over whether the statue should be removed at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill on Tuesday, August 22, 2017. Protesters for and against the statue’s removal attended rallies near the monument on Tuesday, August 22, 2017.
Credit Matt Couch / վ
/
վ
Protesters raise their fists in salute during chants of “Black Power”, at a demonstration at the Silent Sam monument at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Protesters for and against the statue’s removal attended rallies near the monument on Tuesday, August 22, 2017.
Credit Lisa Philip / վ
/
վ
University of North Carolina alumni hold handmade signs at a rally in protest of the Silent Sam statue at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill on Tuesday, August 22, 2017.
Credit Jason deBruyn / վ
/
վ
A sign in support of the Silent Sam statue rests near the monument on Tuesday, August 22, 2017 as hundreds of protesters gathered in opposition of the statue.
Credit Jason deBruyn / վ
/
վ
Police arrest a man during the protests against the Silent Sam statue on the campus of the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill on Tuesday, August 22, 2017.
Credit Matt Couch / վ
/
վ
Police inside the barricade around the Silent Sam monument watch protests for the statue’s removal at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Protesters for and against the statue’s removal attended rallies near the monument on Tuesday, August 22, 2017.
Credit Matt Couch / վ
/
վ
Demonstrators against the Silent Sam monument listen to fellow protester’s testimonies and speeches at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Protesters for and against the statue’s removal attended rallies near the monument on Tuesday, August 22, 2017.
Credit Matt Couch / վ
/
վ
Demonstrators hold aloft signs against the Silent Sam monument at a protest near the monument at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Protesters for and against the statue’s removal attended rallies near the monument on Tuesday, August 22, 2017.
Elizabeth “Liz” Baier is an editor for վ, leading the station's K-12 education, environment, and race, class and communities coverage. She also coordinates the station's Youth Reporting Internships program.
Editor's Note: In December, Duke University announced it will leave an empty space where it removed a statue of Confederate General Robert E. Lee. That's…
UNC-Chapel Hill's Students for Justice in Palestine is calling for faculty to withhold grades until the university lifts suspensions of student protestors.
Town leaders in Edenton, N.C unanimously agreed this week to move a Confederate monument, potentially ending a lawsuit from a coalition of groups that wanted to protect the structure.
A bipartisan group of lawmakers has reintroduced a bill that would start the process of building more public monuments dedicated to civil rights icons.