George Abaraonye, who was elected president of the Oxford Union in June, allegedly posted a series of messages making light of Kirk’s death after he was shot dead
The incoming president of the Oxford Union, George Abaraonye, has been harshly accused of making light of the shocking murder of Charlie Kirk.
Abaraonye is alleged to have posted distasteful comments mocking Kirk’s tragic demise shortly after he was shot in the neck by a lone bullet while discussing mass shootings at a university campus in Utah, according to the Daily Mail.
Condemning messages purportedly sent by Abaraonye have been widely shared on social media platforms. This news coincides with the report: Charlie Kirk ‘told he’d be killed at university’ before assassination expert says.
One message, believed to have been sent via WhatsApp, reads: “Charlie Kirk got shot, let’s f***ing go”. Another message, supposedly posted by Abaraonye on Instagram, states: “Charlie Kirk got shot loool”.
The Oxford student’s Instagram account has been set to private, preventing anyone from viewing his posts on the platform. It remains uncertain whether the WhatsApp account that reportedly shared the messages truly belongs to Abaraonye, reports the Express.
Student’s contentious history with Kirk unveiled
Abaraonye was elected as president in June and had previously locked horns with the American conservative activist during a heated event at the University in May.
The duo engaged in an intense debate about the controversial notion of “toxic masculinity”, where they strongly disagreed about its harmful effects on younger generations of men and women.
Abaraonye also served as the vice-president of the Oxford African and Caribbean Society, a role which necessitated his participation “on the Race Equality Task force to engage in conversations on racial diversity with wider university”.
Fierce backlash prompts heartfelt apology
In response to the intense backlash from the alleged messages, Abaraonye released a statement asserting they were made in a “moment of shock” and “did not reflect my values”.
He stated: “Last night I received the shocking news about a shooting at Charlie Kirk’s event. In that moment of shock, I reacted impulsively and made comments prior to Charlie being pronounced dead that I quickly deleted upon learning of his passing. Those words did not reflect my values.
“To be clear: nobody deserves to be the victim of political violence. Nobody should be harmed or killed for the views they hold.
“I may have disagreed strongly with Mr. Kirk’s politics, but in death we all deserve respect, and I extend my condolences to his family and loved ones.
“At the same time, my reaction was shaped by the context of Mr. Kirk’s own rhetoric – words that often dismissed or mocked the suffering of others. He described the deaths of American children from school shootings as an acceptable ‘cost’ of protecting gun rights.
“He justified the killing of civilians in Gaza, including women and children, by blaming them collectively for Hamas. He called for the retraction of the Civil Rights Act, and repeatedly spread harmful stereotypes about LGBTQ and trans communities. These were horrific and dehumanising statements.
“My reaction was not a call for violence, but a raw, unprocessed response to what felt like a painful irony. I retracted those words almost immediately, yet I’ve been troubled to see some in the media ignore my retraction while amplifying my deleted comments.
“A standard of behaviour that is now leading to racist comments and a myriad of threats and discrimination made towards me. It is right to call out my insensitivity, but the same scrutiny must be applied to rhetoric that has caused real harm and continues to do so.”
Conservative campaigner shot dead at campus gathering
Kirk was hit in the throat by a lone bullet whilst giving a talk about mass shootings at a university campus in Utah yesterday.
The married father-of-two was rushed to hospital, where he sadly succumbed to his devastating wounds.
An urgent manhunt remains ongoing for the gunman, who was described as a male of student age – with authorities confirming on Thursday they had secured video evidence of the suspect.
They disclosed a high-powered bolt-action rifle was found in a woodland area close by after the gunman jumped from the rooftop and escaped the scene. Oxford Union slams president-elect’s shocking remarks.
The Oxford Union has strongly criticised the student’s comments, as reported by The Guardian on Thursday. In a statement, it declared its firm opposition to all forms of political violence and reiterated its commitment to free speech and respectful debate.
“The Oxford Union would like to unequivocally condemn the reported words and sentiments expressed by its president-elect, George Abaraonye, with regards to the passing of Charlie Kirk,” the society penned on X. “His reported views do not represent the Oxford Union’s current leadership or committee’s view.
“The current administration has, under president Moosa Harraj, no association with and is entirely independent from Mr Abaraonye’s administration.”
The statement further added: “We would like to reiterate that our condolences lie with Charlie Kirk’s family, especially his wife and young children, who are enduring such terrible grief.”
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