Graffiti is a natural part of any urban environment. In major cities, it often reflects cultural expression, frustration, or rebellion. But on college campuses, otherwise spaces meant to foster open discussion and intellectual growth, graffiti takes on a different meaning. It becomes an objective glimpse into the political climate among students, an up-front and unfiltered display of ideas shaping the next generation of workers and innovators. That’s why the rise of explicitly violent and radical political graffiti at the University of Minnesota: Twin Cities should alarm students, faculty, and the wider public alike.
Since the killing of CEO Brian Thompson as well as the election of President Donald Trump, the university’s walls have been plastered with inflammatory messages; some outright calling for violence. Across multiple buildings and areas of heavy student traffic and activity, messages like “CEO down, Who’s next? The Board” and “Kill your local Trump supporter” have appeared. One particularly disturbing image features a pig wearing a “MAGA” hat, its eyes crossed out—an unmistakable reference to political violence.
These messages are not tucked away in hidden corners or back alleys; they are prominently displayed in public areas where students pass by daily. The boldness and bluntness of this graffiti suggests something deeper than just random vandalism. It indicates a level of acceptance, even encouragement, of such rhetoric among certain circles on campus affiliated with these ideals.
More troubling still is the university’s apparent unwillingness to address it. Many of these messages have remained visible for weeks, left untouched by campus staff. This passive response raises serious questions: Is this negligence, or is there a broader cultural shift taking place, one where violent political messaging is tolerated and even embraced on college campuses? Beyond the explicitly violent graffiti, other politically charged messages have also appeared. These include pieces calling for the removal and further prevention of ICE presence from campus. While immigration policy is a legitimate subject for debate, the increasing normalization of aggressive and inflammatory rhetoric, especially when coupled with calls for physical harm, should not go unnoticed.
This activity mirrors observable patterns online as well. Popular left-wing sites such as Reddit have seen a significant ramping-up of calls for politically charged violence. This goes beyond the usual violent speech here and there that are commonplace on any sort of anonymous internet websites. Thousands of direct threats to the President, Elon Musk, as well as their staff and family members have surfaced, even circumventing bans of the largest forums on the site.
Universities are supposed to be centers for debate and discussion, yet the rise of unchecked hostility threatens to turn them into ideological battlegrounds where only the loudest, most extreme voices are heard. At a time when America’s political divisions are at a boiling point, the presence of such messages should concern everyone, not just those who find themselves as targets. Hateful rhetoric, no matter who it comes from, always has its ways of escalating, and history has shown that when violent language becomes normalized, action often follows.
We urge the University of Minnesota’s administration to take this issue seriously. Free speech is a cornerstone of higher education, but so is maintaining an environment where students of all political backgrounds feel safe. Likewise, we encourage students, especially those who may be targeted by these messages, to remain vigilant and act responsibly in these increasingly reactionary times. Ignoring this problem will not make it go away. If anything, it will embolden those who believe that intimidation and violence are acceptable tools for political discourse. It’s time to start paying attention.
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