Graphic posters depicting violence against ICE agents discovered on campus
Late last week, students at the University of Wisconsin–Madison discovered hand‑drawn posters near Memorial Library that appear to depict an ICE agent shot in the head. One poster bore the caption, "The only good fascist is a dead one," and showed a figure wearing sunglasses and a hat with "ICE" on his shirt and red blood streaming from his head.
The photograph of the poster was first shared with the independent campus outlet The Madison Federalist. Fox News Digital later spoke with the student who took the photo; he asked to remain anonymous but identified himself as a board member of the university chapter of Turning Point USA. The student said he photographed the image and removed it from the post.
"It was in this area called Memorial Library, and my first reaction was, well, I'm in a university, so I wasn't too surprised," the student told Fox News Digital. "I kind of felt disgusted, and I felt that it was a very harmful message to be sending to college kids, especially in a... politically charged university."
The student said the image made him feel threatened and that he perceives violent rhetoric as increasingly normalized on campus. He also said many professors — he emphasized "not all" — present conservative viewpoints negatively in class and that this climate can contribute to hostile rhetoric.
Similar incident and campus response
Earlier in the same week, another drawing was photographed and shared on X by the Wisconsin College Republicans. That image likewise showed an ICE agent with a fatal head wound and included the lines "Speak their language" and "You can't vote away fascism."
Nick Jacobs, chairman of the Wisconsin College Republicans and a student at the University of Wisconsin–River Falls, told Fox News Digital he has noticed an uptick in violent rhetoric on some campuses and described incidents where memorials or displays were quickly defaced.
UW–Madison campus police confirmed they are investigating both incidents. The university did not respond to a request for comment.
Context and concerns
Students and campus groups expressed concern that graphic images and violent language undermine civil discourse and campus safety. Observers on different sides of the political spectrum called for the university to investigate, to clarify its policies on campus speech and vandalism, and to promote dialogue that rejects violence.
Note: Some interviewees linked the recent imagery to broader national controversies and incidents, but investigators have not publicly confirmed any direct connection to outside events.
