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Pit preacher slapped

brothermicah
Brother Micah preaches passionately to an equally heated crowd in the Pit on Tuesday. The crowd grew larger after Micah was slapped by a listener.

Micah Armstrong a 41-year-old evangelical fundamentalist better known as Brother Micah was assaulted Tuesday while preaching in the Pit according to police reports.

Witnesses said the unidentified suspect took personally one of Armstrong's pronouncements" which are often provocative.

""I was preaching the Bible" Armstrong said. He was challenging me basically on why bad things happen to innocent people and I implied that something had happened in his childhood. He shoved me once and I just stood. He shoved me again and I stood" and then he hit me across the face.""

First-year C.J. Scott said he saw the incident from the steps of the Pit.

""He said" ‘You were probably raped when you were young' and the guy went up to him and pushed him and told him to apologize Scott said. And then he just stood there and the guy pushed him again" and then he slapped him. It was loud.""

Armstrong" an occasional visitor to UNC speaks passionately against homosexuality evolution and hypocrisy among Christians. He often draws a large crowd of students who argue with him.

Sophomore Alex Efird who was in the area when the incident occurred" said she thought Armstrong provoked the assault.

""He steps on people's toes"" she said. It's only natural for humans to get upset. Why would you call someone out on something so serious and so personal?""

But some said both parties were out of line.

""I don't think either of them was really in the right. Obviously the guy was victimized by the preacher" but I'm not a fan of violence first-year Abbey Herrmann said. Herrmann was also in the area but did not actually witness the assault.

Armstrong said he will not press charges.

I don't know where people get this idea that I go around suing people because I don't press charges" Armstrong said. I'm not out to get anything out of it.""

Armstrong also said it is not unusual for students to get physical with him.

But campus police said this was the only assault on Armstrong at UNC.

 ""We've had incidents with the Pit preacher but I don't recall anyone assaulting him"" Department of Public Safety Lt. Steve Thornton said.

Despite Tuesday's incident, Armstrong said he will continue talking with UNC students.

Today I happened to get assaulted" Armstrong said. But I love Chapel Hill because I think this is one of the most intelligent campuses. Chapel Hill is one of the more civil" thinking schools.""



Contact the University Editor at udesk@unc.edu.


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