North Carolina State Representative Julie von Haefen is facing sharp criticism after appearing at a protest on Sunday holding effigies that resembled the severed heads of President Donald Trump and his senior policy advisor, Stephen Miller.
Von Haefen, a Democrat representing the state’s 36th District since 2019, attended the “No Kings” protest in Raleigh, an event promoted by the North Carolina Democratic Party and Wake County Democrats.
The demonstration was part of a broader series of national protests opposing immigration enforcement and federal actions involving military deployments in major U.S. cities.
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In a Facebook post following the event, von Haefen shared photos from the protest, including an image in which she appeared to be holding the faux decapitated heads while also displaying a banner that read: “In These Difficult Times, Some Cuts May Be Necessary.”
She captioned her post: “Amazing turnout all across the Triangle today, including this event at the Capitol hosted by @wakedems and @ncdemocrats #lfg #nokings #nokingsprotest #nokingsinamerica #raleigh #raleighnc.”
Pronouns in bio. Every time. pic.twitter.com/SL810ufsQs
— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) June 15, 2025
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The head resembling Miller, who is Jewish, was marked with a swastika on the forehead — a reference to Nazi imagery that has been widely condemned.
The imagery has triggered bipartisan condemnation, with critics pointing out the symbolism was not only inflammatory but deeply offensive in light of Miller’s heritage.
The timing of the stunt has also raised concern.
Just hours prior to the protest, a separate politically motivated murder unfolded in Minnesota, where a man posing as a law enforcement officer fatally shot State House Speaker Emeritus Melissa Hortman and critically injured Senator John Hoffman and his wife.
Von Haefen has not issued a public apology or statement addressing the backlash.
Her official X, account was locked shortly after images of the protest went viral, restricting public access to her posts.
UPDATE: She deleted the post and reposted edited version https://t.co/hcKEFP07Wk
— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) June 15, 2025
Von Haefen’s biography highlights her background in education and community service.
She has served on various committees in the North Carolina House of Representatives, including Appropriations, Appropriations for Health and Human Services, Education K-12, Ethics, and Military and Veterans Affairs.
Her campaign biography also emphasizes her previous leadership roles in the Parent Teacher Association (PTA) and her work as a Guardian ad Litem and Meals on Wheels volunteer.
Despite her record of civic engagement, the imagery used during Sunday’s protest has drawn comparisons to comedian Kathy Griffin’s 2017 photo in which she posed with a fake decapitated head of President Trump.
Remember the time Kathy Griffin posed with the bloody head of President Trump?
The same people upset over the Puerto Rico joke are the same people who defended this as comedy. pic.twitter.com/CWxGXrllTV
— X America News (@XAmericaNews) October 28, 2024
That incident resulted in widespread condemnation and professional consequences for Griffin.
Political analysts have noted the growing use of provocative imagery in protests and warned of its potential to escalate tensions, particularly amid heightened political polarization and recent acts of violence targeting elected officials.
However, several lawmakers and community members across the political spectrum expressed concern over the imagery and called for accountability.
The incident adds to an already volatile national environment as demonstrations continue in cities nationwide.
President Trump has recently deployed military and federal personnel to several urban areas in response to ongoing unrest.
It remains unclear whether any formal ethics review or disciplinary action will follow.
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