The funds will be used to organize a party for the Pi Kappa Phi fraternity, who gained attention after they held up the American flag during a recent protest on campus.

The incident occurred when pro-Palestinian supporters replaced the American flag with a Palestinian flag, leading to confrontations between activists and counterprotesters. Amidst the chaos, the Pi Kappa Phi members were captured in a viral image defiantly holding up the American flag, while objects were being thrown at them.

John Noonan, moved by the fraternity brothers' actions, initiated a GoFundMe campaign titled "Pi Kappa Phi Men Defended Their Flag. Throw 'em a Rager." Initially aiming to raise $15,000, the campaign surpassed all expectations, garnering over $400,000 in less than two days, with Ackman being one of the highest contributors.

The significance of this donation from Ackman, known for his vocal disapproval of pro-Palestinian protests on college campuses, can be traced back to his involvement in addressing campus antisemitism during a House hearing in December. At the hearing, former Harvard President Claudine Gay's statement that harassment accusations would depend on the context, including calls for the genocide of Jewish people, prompted Ackman to campaign for her removal and cease donations to Harvard.

The News & Observer reached out to both Ackman and Noonan for comments, but there has been no response yet. The fraternity also confirmed that they are not familiar with Noonan, but GoFundMe has assured them that the funds will be held securely until the requested recipient is verified.

This generous contribution from Ackman and the overwhelming success of the GoFundMe campaign have sparked a conversation among many about the importance of defending national symbols and expressing solidarity with organizations facing opposition on college campuses.