Wisconsin Assemblywoman Francesca Hong has apologized for calling the police on a public art display that protested the war in Gaza, an action she now regrets. Hong, a Democratic Socialist and candidate for governor, stated that she supports a free Palestine and believes the events in Gaza and the West Bank must end.
The incident occurred in late 2023 when Hong, citing concerns from constituents and based on what she described as incomplete information, twice called 911 to report a display featuring an Israeli flag splattered with red paint. She believed the display to be antisemitic. At the time, she was reportedly attempting to find the quickest way to have the display removed.
During a second call to the police, Hong described the protest art as "pretty disturbing and jarring" and stated she had received numerous calls from alarmed constituents. Police subsequently removed the display. The artist, Jesse Ransom, later filed a complaint alleging unlawful seizure of private property and infringement of First Amendment rights.
Hong explained that a campaign staff member had sent her a cropped and incomplete photo of the installation, which led her to believe it was intended to misrepresent anti-Zionism as antisemitism, a distinction she takes seriously. She stated that based on constituent concerns and her incomplete information, she made a mistake by calling the police.
Following a confrontation with Ransom at a public campaign event, where he explained the display was a call-to-action protest urging Senator Tammy Baldwin to call for a ceasefire, Hong expressed remorse. Ransom's display included a bicycle painted with "CEASEFIRE" and a sign reading "cease-fire now." Hong stated, "I regret calling the police. I regret having that taken down."
Hong has been a vocal proponent of the "Defund the Police" movement. She has also supported calls for a ceasefire in Gaza, introduced legislation to repeal a law that bars state and local governments from participating in Israel boycotts, and encouraged voters to cast "uninstructed" ballots in the 2024 primary in protest of former President Joe Biden's response to the war in Gaza. She also opposed a bill that established a definition of antisemitism used to determine if crimes are motivated by antisemitism.