The fundraiser for the men who protected the United States flag at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, has crossed over $375,000 in donations in roughly 24 hours, with more donations still pouring in.
The GoFundMe is meant to throw a “rager” for the members of the Pi Kappa Phi fraternity at UNC who protected the U.S. flag during a pro-Palestinian protest on campus. The members of the fraternity shielded the flag for an hour during the protest despite the protesters throwing rocks, water bottles, and other items at them, according to one of the students.
The campaign even caught the attention of a few members of Congress, some of whom have donated. Among them was Rep. Mike Collins (R-GA), who shared his $125 donation on X with the caption, “Next round on me, boys.”
Also contributing to the cause was billionaire Bill Ackman, who donated $10,000. Ackman has made a name for himself in recent months, describing diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives as “racist” and criticizing President Joe Biden’s ego as “embarrassing” during a podcast appearance in February.
One of the students who protected the flag, Alex Jones, posted on X that the photos of him and his fellow fraternity brothers have gone viral on social media, and he thanked those who had given them support over their actions. He also said that protecting the U.S. flag from the protesters had nothing to do with taking a stance or a specific side regarding the conflict between Israel and Hamas.
“I recognize the pain and suffering experienced by both sides of that conflict,” Jones wrote. “But my decision yesterday to protect the flag of the United States was not about any other nation. It was simply about the importance of our country and the values we believe in.”
The organizer of the fundraiser, John Noonan, has updated the fundraiser’s page, revealing that Noonan is organizing the event with Susan Ralston, who is “a world class event planner” who previously worked in the White House. Ralston had worked as executive assistant to Karl Rove during the George W. Bush presidency.
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“You gave these great flag saluting patriots the honor they so richly deserve,” the fundraiser’s page said. “We hope your generosity is a message to every college campus in America, from sea to shining sea: This country is great. This country is worth defending. That flag means something. And America takes care of her own.”
The Washington Examiner contacted UNC for comment.