UNC fraternity brothers who held U.S. flag up at Gaza protest high five adoring Republican fans as they pledge to 'keep it flying'

Several fraternity brothers from the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill who defied pro-Gaza protestors by banding together to keep the U.S. flag from touching the ground received a loud and warm welcome from RNC attendees Wednesday. 

The fraternity brothers became a viral sensation overnight for their patriotic heroics in defending the Old Glory from protestors who had torn it down off a campus flag pole in late April this year. 

When the group took the stage at the RNC Wednesday one could have believed a battalion of war heroes had just returned from service overseas, but that reception was not for the military but for the fraternity brother's militant defending of the flag.

The brothers emerged in a procession carrying American flags to the convention floor - again flying the American flag pride. 

'When a mob tried to take down the American flag on our campus we knew we couldn't let that happen,' one of the students said to roars of approval.

UNC Frat Boys attend the third day of the Republican National Convention at the Fiserv Forum

'We stood guard, we held it up and did not let it fall,' he added before an even more rapturous outburst of approval from attendees. 

'It was all about respect,' he continued. 'Not just for the cloth but for everything the flag stands for.'

'Too many people have sacrificed everything for it. The least we could do is keep it flying.'

'And tonight we are proud to honor our flag again.'

Then, with some audience members tearing up, the crowd exploded once again in praise for the fraternity brothers. 

After, the brothers once again lined up and walked off of the floor to cheers and salutes.  

Frat boys at UNC Chapel Hill surround American flag in to protect it from a  pro-Gaza protest

The audience stood and cheered as the brothers carried American flags on to the RNC floor

The fraternity color guard passed out fist bumps and high fives to adoring attendees as they walked off. 

In late April, after the pro-Palestinian protestors removed the stars and stripes and replaced it with the Palestinian flag, the UNC Chapel Hill Pi Kappa Phi fraternity brothers reattached the U.S. banner and began hoisting it high.

Later, after a renewed effort by protestors to rip down the flag again, the fraternity brothers stood guard, holding the flag up by hand as they were mocked for their patriotism. 

However, the school eventually decided to take down the flag to protect it from further damage. 

Images of the students defending the stars and stripes stood in stark contrast to images from college campuses this spring that at times involved burning and desecrating the flag. 

The brothers were given high fives and fist bumps as the entered the convention floor 

The brothers all dressed in blue suits, white shirts, red ties and khakis 

Their stunt earned them a huge crowdfunding boon, with the brothers raising over half a million dollars to throw a party, or a 'rager' as the the students might say.

Ultimately, the pro-Gaza encampment that popped up on the campus lasted four days before it was broken up by authorities. 

In the end, 36 activists were detained and six were arrested.