Hours after Folt orders removal of 'Silent Sam' pedestal, crews remove it from UNC campus

Around 11 p.m., crews with a large construction- type truck and flood lights arrived at the UNC-Chapel Hill campus, along with a group of law enforcement officers. Wood was being put down over the grass to create some sort of track.

By midnight, a man was seen drilling into the stop of the statue and a forklift was on hand, and by 12:45 a.m., the pedestal had been removed.

A crowd of people gathered around to watch and a small cheer erupted when the pedestal was lifted.

The last piece of the base was removed by 2:40 a.m. The pedestal was later towed away.

A spokesperson for the university said the base and plaques of the Confederate monument would be stored in a "secure location."

A small group of people were involved in a scuffle with police, and one person was arrested and taken away in handcuffs.

In a letter to the UNC community on Monday afternoon, Folt said that, before she leaves, she plans to focus on the university's core mission and will "push forward with Carolina’s campaign and history task force."

"I’m deeply proud of what you’ve accomplished and what we’ve accomplished together since I became a Tar Heel nearly six years ago in 2013. I am writing today to let you know that I have decided to step down as chancellor following graduation, at the end of the academic year," Folt said.

"I have authorized the removal of the base and commemorative plaques from the Confederate monument site in McCorkle Place. As chancellor, the safety of the UNC-Chapel Hill community is my clear, unequivocal and non-negotiable responsibility. The presence of the remaining parts of the monument on campus poses a continuing threat both to the personal safety and well-being of our community and to our ability to provide a stable, productive educational environment."

Late last year, Folt announced a plan to build a $5.3 million "center for history and education" to house the statue on campus.

Board of Governors members Darrell Allison, Jim Holmes, Wendy Murphy, Anna Nelson and Bob Rucho were named to a committee to work with Folt and the UNC-Chapel Hill trustees to come up with a new plan for Silent Sam that the full board can take up at its March 15 meeting.

Board of Governors Chairman Harry Smith said Folt decided in a closed-door meeting with the board on Monday to resign. But her announcement regarding Silent Sam caught the board off-guard.

"We are incredibly disappointed at this intentional action. It lacks transparency and it undermines and insults the board’s goal to operate with class and dignity," Smith said in a statement. "We strive to ensure that the appropriate stakeholders are always involved and that we are always working in a healthy and professional manner."

The March time frame for the Board of Governors to discuss Silent Sam's future remains unchanged, he said.

"Moving forward, the board will continue to work tirelessly and collaboratively with all relevant parties to determine the best way forward for UNC-Chapel Hill," he said. "We will do so with proper governance and oversight in a way that respects all constituencies and diverse views on this issue. The safety and security of the campus community and general public who visit the institution remains paramount.”

On Twitter, Gov. Roy Cooper praised Folt's efforts to make the university more inclusive.

Folt said in her letter that "safety concerns alone should preclude the monument from returning to campus," adding that the UNC-Chapel Hill Board of Trustees also supports that position.

"The base and tablets will be preserved until their future is decided. While I recognize that some may not agree with my decision to remove the base and tablets now, I am confident this is the right one for our community – one that will promote public safety, enable us to begin the healing process and renew our focus on our great mission," Folt said.

Leaders with the Board of Trustees issued a statement supporting Folt's actions.

"The chancellor has ultimate authority over campus public safety, and we agree Chancellor Folt is acting properly to preserve campus security. Nothing is more important than keeping our campus community and visitors as safe as possible," the statement said.

Gov. Roy Cooper echoed much of the same.

"I appreciate the Chancellor's actions to keep students and the public safe. North Carolina is welcoming to all, and our public university should reflect that," he said in a statement.