Is using <img> for a menu item wrong?

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This is part of a menu, do you think it would be better in a UL > LI? I want a label underneath the icon.

Trying to think of reasons if this is bad or not. :)

Is using <img> for a menu item wrong?

Not if it is a content image (e.g. an icon).

This is part of a menu, do you think it would be better in a UL > LI?

Menus are, typically, lists of links, and using <ul> and <li> would be appropriate. That won't prevent you from using an <img> though.

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A text description for an image probably doesn't deserve its own paragraph though. I'd set display: block on the image if I wanted to force a line break, and put the text inside the <a> so the entire thing is clickable. I certainly wouldn't use a line break and a paragraph. Use margin for spacing.