An event arranged by the Johnson County Republican Party in Kansas has drawn significant criticism after it featured an effigy of President Joe Biden being physically assaulted. During the event, attendees were seen hitting and kicking a mannequin adorned with a President Biden mask, an incident that has since been widely circulated through photos and videos online. Some participants employed a baseball bat in their actions against the effigy, which also wore a T-shirt bearing the slogan “Let’s go Brandon,” known to be a derogatory meme against Biden.

The incident prompted a wave of condemnation from figures across the political spectrum, including both Democrats and former Republican officials. Mike Kuckelman, the former chair of the Kansas GOP, described the act as “shameful and wrong” and called for resignations within the party, emphasizing the inappropriateness of such conduct regardless of political differences. On the other hand, the Kansas State GOP sought to distance itself from the controversy by stating that the booth with the effigy was operated by an external exhibitor and that they did not align with Kuckelman’s rebuke.

Democratic leaders like Kansas Senate Minority Leader Dinah Sykes also vehemently criticized the event, highlighting the urgency for Republican leadership to address and condemn such acts of political violence. The incident has sparked broader discussions concerning political civility and the presence of animosity within political discourse.

Mike Brown, the chair of the Kansas Republican party, clarified that the state party did not organize the event. However, he faced criticism for promoting it by email, indicating the complex reactions within the party regarding the incident. The event has not only ignited debate within the Republican party but has also brought to the fore concerns about the implications of such behavior on political culture in Kansas and potentially on a wider scale.