UNC professor reinstated after anti-fascist gun group investigation

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The College of North Carolina at Chapel Hill professor with ties to an anti-fascist gun group has been reinstated after being positioned on administrative depart earlier this week over considerations that he was voicing help for political violence.

"The College of North Carolina at Chapel Hill has carried out a radical risk evaluation of Instructing Affiliate Professor Dwayne Dixon based mostly on current reviews and expressions of concern that he's an advocate for political violence," Vice Chancellor for Communications and Advertising and marketing Dean Stoyer mentioned in an announcement Friday.

Following the conclusion of the investigation, school officials mentioned they "discovered no foundation to conclude that he poses a risk to College college students, workers and school, or has engaged in conduct that violates College coverage."

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UNC professor Dwayne Dixon outdoors his residence in Durham, N.C., Wednesday, Oct. 1, 2025. (Fox Information Digital)

A consultant of the American Academy of College Professors speaks on the rally in help of UNC professor Dwayne Dixon in entrance of the South Constructing on Wednesday, Oct. 1, 2025. (Huseyin Tuna/The Every day Tar Heel)

"Because of this, the College is reinstating Professor Dixon to his school duties, efficient instantly," Stoyer added.

Dixon was positioned on administrative depart earlier this week after Fox Information Digital reported on his involvement with Redneck Revolt, a company established in 2016 and described by the Counter Extremism Undertaking as a "far-left group" that "stands towards capitalism and the idea of the nation-state, together with its symbols corresponding to police, prisons and courts."

Dwayne Dixon outdoors his residence in Durham, N.C., Wednesday, October 1, 2025. Dixon is a professor at UNC Chapel Hill who had been placed on depart for his alleged advocacy of politically motivated violence. (Fox Information Digital)

Fox Information Digital beforehand obtained a video of a 2018 panel hosted by Harvard College’s Carr-Ryan Heart for Human Rights, wherein Dixon spoke for about half-hour about Redneck Revolt’s presence on the 2017 Unite the Proper rally in Charlottesville, whereas advocating for armed political motion – painted as self-defense – towards White supremacists, Nazis and fascists. He went on to explain the "far-right" as "full of murderous rage," however at no level outlined the time period "far-right."

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Demonstrators gathered in entrance of South Constructing to point out help for UNC Professor Dwayne Dixon in Chapel Hill on Wednesday, Oct. 1, 2025. (Huseyin Tuna/The Every day Tar Heel)

"Let the Nazis assemble and communicate in public, and they're going to assault you, after which they are going to come for the individuals you like," mentioned Dixon. "To paraphrase Robert F. Williams … Robert F. Williams of Monroe, North Carolina, my battle is towards White supremacy, not for civil rights. I am right here to smash White supremacist capitalism, not defend civil society."

The video was initially posted to the middle’s YouTube web page on Feb. 3, 2018, and remained public till Fox Information Digital’s Monday report that Dixon had been positioned on administrative depart.

The preliminary choice to sideline Dixon sparked an uproar on UNC’s campus, with members of the college’s neighborhood rallying in help – and towards – the professor on Wednesday.

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Asian research professor Dwayne Dixon speaks at an anti-fascism rally at UNC on Feb. 21, 2018. (Chichi Zhu/The Every day Tar Heel)

Dozens of scholars and school members convened in entrance of the college’s South Constructing, with many people carrying masks and holding flags, WRAL reported .

Indicators saying "Reinstate Dixon" and "UNC, Cease Taking Orders From Fascists" have been reportedly positioned on the constructing’s steps as people from numerous campus organizations spoke to the group.

"I am 100% OK with this demonstration right here as a result of I am a free speech advocate, and I feel that even when it isn't one thing I agree with, I feel everybody has a proper to battle for what they consider in," Jack D'Entremont, a UNC scholar and member of the UNC GOP and native Turning Level chapters, informed WRAL. "However you battle with phrases, you do not battle with calls to violence or precise violence, and I feel there's loads of room for training right here for everybody concerned."

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Undated file picture of College of North Carolina at Chapel Hill professor Dwayne Dixon. (WRAL)

The choice to take away – and subsequently reinstate – Dixon comes as officers all through the nation wish to flip down the temperature surrounding violent political rhetoric following the current assassination of Charlie Kirk and an assault on a Dallas ICE facility by a gunman who allegedly possessed left-wing views.

"The typical scholar [at UNC] might be going to be in help or not upset by what occurred to Kirk and it is terrible," D'Entremont informed WRAL. "No matter his beliefs, you should not be killed in your beliefs, particularly 'trigger actions have been nothing however good, all he did was speak to individuals. For those who're glorifying it, individuals have a proper to be upset by that."

Dixon beforehand faced misdemeanor charges because of his participation in Redneck Revolt, although he has not been convicted. In 2018, he was charged with easy assault on the evening a Accomplice statue, named "Silent Sam," was torn down on the UNC campus, however the fees have been later dropped.

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He additionally confronted a gun crime cost stemming from his connection to an anti-KKK protest in close by Durham, North Carolina, wherein the KKK was current.

Each Dixon and Redneck Revolt have been sued by town of Charlottesville after the Unite the Proper rally, with town accusing the group of violating anti-paramilitary regulation.

On Wednesday, Redneck Revolt posted a message to its web site saying that the group disbanded in 2019. A web page highlighting Dixon's activism underneath a tab referred to as "Evaluation" was additionally eliminated, however has been archived .

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Dixon is a educating affiliate professor of Asian and Center Japanese Research on the college, based on his biography web page. He's set to return to his school duties instantly.

"The College continues to reaffirm its dedication to rigorous debate, respectful engagement, and open dialogue in help of free speech, whereas fulfilling our accountability to guard the bodily security of the Carolina neighborhood," Stoyer added.

Fox Information Digital's Peter D'Abrosca and Sarah Rumpf-Whitten contributed to this report.

Julia Bonavita is a U.S. Author for Fox Information Digital and a Fox Flight Group drone pilot. You possibly can observe her at @juliabonavita13 on all platforms and ship story tricks to julia.bonavita@fox.com.