Fans at All Elite Wrestling's Dynamite broadcast on Wednesday night in Las Vegas erupted into a loud and sustained chant of 'F*** ICE' during the main event match, reflecting growing public discontent with immigration enforcement under the Trump administration.
The main event featured AEW Men's World Champion Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF) facing Brody King in an eliminator match. Before the bout began, the crowd began chanting the profane slogan directed at Immigration and Customs Enforcement, with MJF, who plays an arrogant heel character, reacting with a comical expression to the camera.
Brody King, an avowed leftist and lead singer of the hardcore punk band God's Hate, has been outspoken against ICE. He previously wore an 'Abolish ICE' shirt during a match at AEW's Grand Slam event in Mexico last June and raised over $27,000 for families affected by ICE. Ahead of Wednesday's show, King partnered with Headlocked Comics to raise nearly $59,000 for the Minnesota Immigrant Rights Action Committee - Education Fund, following the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti during Operation Metro Surge.
Referee Bryce Remsburg acknowledged on social media that he may have delayed ringing the bell to let the chants resonate. Social media users contrasted AEW's handling of the chant with WWE's, noting WWE's close ties to Trump, including Linda McMahon's role as Secretary of Education and Paul 'Triple H' Levesque's appointment to the President's Council on Sports, Fitness and Nutrition.
Recent polls show widespread disapproval of ICE, with a NPR/Marist survey finding that 65% of Americans believe ICE has 'gone too far' in enforcing immigration laws, and 62% feel the agency makes them less safe. White House border czar Tom Homan announced a drawdown of 700 federal agents from Minnesota, with the president acknowledging the need for 'a little bit of a softer touch.'
