Wisconsin middle school faces series of bomb threats after Libs of TikTok post

A school district in Wisconsin is the latest institution receiving bomb threats after right-wing extremist Chaya Raichik targeted it with her Libs of TikTok account.

Butler Middle School in Waukesha found itself at the epicenter of a three-week-long storm of bomb threats after Libs of TikTok focused on it. The situation unfolded after Raichik’s March 4 post targeted Jeffrey Taege, the school’s assistant principal, Wisconsin Public Radio reports. Her post criticized Taege’s educational philosophy, particularly his stance on parental involvement in education, sparking a fierce debate over academic policies and igniting a wave of concern across the community.

“Acceptance, equity, and inclusion should be cornerstones of our schools,” Taege wrote on Facebook in 2022.

Related: Stochastic Terrorism: Links Between the GOP, Right-Wing Influencers & Neo-Nazi Violence

Raichik seized on his message of inclusivity and feigned outrage – a tactic Riachik often uses when she targets private citizens online. She included a screenshot of Taege’s post and a photo of him with his partner in an inflammatory post.

“Meet Jeffrey Taege. He’s an assistant principal at Butler Middle School in @waukeshaschools. He thinks parents shouldn’t have a say in their kids’ education and the community and not the parent is responsible for children’s education,” Libs of TikTok wrote.

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Raichik’s March 4 post, which quickly spread through her extensive network, resulted in over 3,000 retweets and a flurry of anti-LGBTQ+ responses. The digital uproar set the stage for a series of bomb threats that heightened tensions and prompted an urgent response from the Waukesha School District and local law enforcement. Despite the swift determination that these threats were not credible, the incidents highlighted the dangerous intersection of online rhetoric and real-world safety concerns.

In response to these provocations, the district and the Waukesha Police Department reinforced security at the school.

Related: Libs of TikTok creator accuses NBC News of stochastic terrorism after bomb threat investigation

Amid this backdrop, the activist group Unwavering Waukesha emerged as a vocal advocate for the rights and safety of the LGBTQ+ community within the district. This group of concerned parents and residents has pointed to the deeper implications of the bomb threats, suggesting they are symptomatic of broader issues related to political polarization and the treatment of LGBTQ+ content in education.

The broader discussion surrounding these events has also brought the concept of stochastic terrorism to the forefront. This form of terrorism, characterized by the use of public platforms to incite violence through demonization, has been increasingly associated with the tactics employed by Raichik, according to security experts. Investigations by media outlets such as NBC News and USA Today have drawn a line from Raichik’s posts to bomb threats and other acts of intimidation.

Following posts by the Libs of TikTok account, NBC News revealed approximately 33 instances in which schools, libraries, hospitals, and other institutions faced bomb threats or acts of intimidation. The frequency and spread of these threats highlight the need for a coordinated response from educational, law enforcement, and social media platforms to address and mitigate the growing risk of stochastic terrorism fueled by digital platforms.

Although Waukesha Police did not mention Libs of TikTok, a spokesperson noted that the incidents aren’t unfamiliar.

“This is consistent with similar instances reported across the country,” the spokesperson said.