Actress and longtime activist Anne-Marie Johnson went full incognito to display signs in her yard that stood 10 toes down against Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The signs read, “'f*** ICE” and “resist fascism,” and one compared federal officers to the Gestapo.

The images that circulated online show Johnson placing the signs in front of her multi–million dollar home. The actress flexed her handi-woman skills and used a drill and hedge clippers to install the signs. According to the Daily Mail, she was seen speaking to a neighbor about them shortly after.

For neighbors who discovered the display, the flags were an uncomfortable surprise; responses ranged from anger and confusion to support for Johnson’s right to express political views. The incident tapped into a larger, live debate in Los Angeles and elsewhere over enforcement, civil-rights protests, and how residents use private property to show their political stance. Recent months have seen heightened activism related to ICE activity in Southern California, and Johnson has chosen her side. 

Johnson isn’t just a familiar face on TV (“What’s Happening? Now!,” “Girlfriends,” “In The Heat of The Night”) — she has a long history of civic engagement. The actress has served in leadership roles in industry and civic organizations and has been publicly active on issues of racial justice and community advocacy. 

In California, homeowners generally have broad latitude to display noncommercial political signs on their private property, subject to size and safety rules and any applicable homeowners-association guidelines — rules that many legal experts say still protect expressive speech even when neighbors object. That legal protection means that, without local ordinance or HOA restrictions, a resident’s yard signs are often lawful even when controversial. At the same time, displays that use explicit slurs or threaten violence can cross lines that remove legal protection. 

For some neighbors, the surprise came less from the message than from the visibility and directness of the gesture — a reminder that protest in the age of viral feeds can happen anywhere, even on a quiet residential street.