Pro-Palestinian protesters Thursday at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and State Democratic Party Headquarters, calling on both to cut ties with Israel.

More than 50 people with UNC’s Students for Justice in Palestine gathered in front of the South Building on UNC’s campus to protest the “imperialism and violence that the administration defends.”

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“Each of the speakers is trying to highlight exactly how UNC is complicit,” said Jacob Ginn, a UNC grad student.

Months earlier, protesters shut down the campus as they called for the school to divest from Israel and businesses tied to Israel. Organizers have been protesting since Oct. 7, 2023, when Israel declared war on Hamas, the ruling group in Gaza, after militants killed 1,200 people in a surprise attack that morning.

Many say the school’s response has motivated them to push harder.

“Despite the repression the university has been launching against us … despite the suspension of our organization, we will not stop,” Ginn said.

Protesters previously called on the school to divest at the end of the spring semester, resulting in days of protests and police clearing out tent encampments made by students and organizers.

Unlike the protests in May, no one was arrested Thursday night. Many of May’s protesters were arrested and are awaiting their next court date, which will be spring 2025.

As of August, the school has not disclosed any business ties it may or may not have with the country.

“It begs the question. If the university is refusing to disclose, how much does it have to hide?” UNC grad student Slyvie Tuder said. “Because people only refuse to disclose things they are ideologically and morally invested in.”

Meanwhile, across the Triangle, more than four dozen protested outside the State Democratic Party’s watch party of the Democratic National Convention. Many were holding signs reading “Abandon Harris.”

The protesters accused the Vice President of supporting Israel’s bombing of Gaza. They also accused the Democratic party of silencing Palestinian voices at the convention this week.

“Democrats, come November at the polls, we’ll remember,” Camila Kayed said.

WRAL News asked protesters at UNC-Chapel Hill if they would support Harris during the presidential election over Republican nominee and former President Donald Trump. Many said they believed Harris would be more open to listening to their side but told others to “vote with their hearts.”

“I’m not going to tell people what to do this election cycle,” Tuder said. “I encourage people to vote with their conscience, but I also encourage people not to kid themselves about what the outcome of this election is going to do for Palestinians.”

WRAL News reached out to UNC officials regarding Thursday’s protest on campus and is waiting to hear back, and the state Democratic did not immediately respond to WRAL News’ requests for comment.

WRAL Capitol Bureau Chief Laura Leslie contributed to this story.