LONDON: The tragic assassination of American conservative commentator Charlie Kirk in Utah has been followed by a storm of controversy at Oxford University, where George Abaraonye, the president-elect of the Oxford Union, is under fire for celebrating the news online.
Kirk, co-founder of Turning Point USA, was fatally shot on September 10, 2025, moments before delivering a speech at Utah Valley University. Authorities said the 31-year-old activist was struck by sniper fire from a rooftop nearly 200 yards from the stage.
The gunman was later identified as 22-year-old Tyler Robinson, who was arrested after a 33-hour manhunt. According to investigators, Robinson’s own father recognized him from images released by police and tipped off authorities.
The case has since revealed disturbing details. Hours before his arrest, Robinson allegedly confessed in a private Discord group, writing, it was me at UVU yesterday.
I’m sorry for all of this. Investigators also claim that DNA evidence linked him to items found at the crime scene, including a towel wrapped around the rifle believed to have been used in the killing.
While Robinson has not offered a formal confession to police and remains largely uncooperative, prosecutors say they are building their case with what they describe as a mountain of evidence.
He has been booked on suspicion of aggravated murder, obstruction of justice and felony discharge of a firearm causing serious bodily injury. His first court appearance is scheduled for this week.
As the United States grapples with the political and cultural shockwaves of Kirk’s assassination, a separate but related firestorm erupted in the United Kingdom.
George Abaraonye, a 20-year-old Philosophy, Politics and Economics undergraduate at Oxford and the incoming president of the Oxford Union, was caught making celebratory remarks about the shooting on social media.
Charlie Kirk got shot, let’s f—ing go,he wrote in a WhatsApp group. On Instagram he added, Charlie Kirk got shot loool.
The comments, which surfaced just days after Abaraonye had debated Kirk face-to-face at Oxford Union in June, sparked outrage.
Their debate had centered on masculinity, toxic femininity and the cultural pressures facing young men.
Kirk argued that modern society was infantilizing boys and eroding traditional masculinity, while Abaraonye countered that true happiness comes from giving men the freedom to express themselves in any way they choose.
After the assassination, Abaraonye’s online remarks drew swift condemnation from across the political spectrum. Critics accused him of undermining the Union’s role as a platform for civil debate, while some Oxford students demanded his resignation.
Abaraonye quickly backtracked, insisting that the posts were impulsive reactions made before Kirk was pronounced dead and deleted soon after.
Those words did not reflect my values, he said. Nobody deserves to be the victim of political violence.
The Oxford Union, one of the world’s most prestigious debating societies with a history of producing leaders such as Boris Johnson and Tony Blair, issued a statement distancing itself from Abaraonye’s words.
These are his personal views and not those of the Union, nor do they represent the values of our Institution, the society declared.
The Union confirmed that Abaraonye will face disciplinary proceedings but will not be removed from his post.
The controversy has nevertheless deepened. Abaraonye has faced not only calls for his dismissal but also a wave of racial abuse and harassment online.
Student groups including the Oxford African Caribbean Society have condemned both his remarks and the targeted abuse he has received, reflecting the polarizing nature of the incident.
Meanwhile, the investigation into Kirk’s killing continues to dominate headlines in the United States. Prosecutors are still piecing together Robinson’s motive, though early evidence suggests an ideological obsession with Kirk and his politics.
FBI investigators are combing through his digital footprint, including social media posts and online chats, which may point to premeditation.
For Oxford, the Abaraonye episode raises uncomfortable questions about the limits of free expression, the responsibilities of student leaders, and the potential consequences of political rhetoric.
For the United States, the assassination has reignited debates about ideological violence, gun control and the toxic interplay between online extremism and real-world action.
The intertwined stories of Kirk’s murder and Abaraonye’s reaction underscore how campus debates, social media posts and acts of political violence are increasingly colliding on the global stage.
As both the legal case in Utah and the disciplinary process in Oxford unfold, the world will be watching closely, not only for justice in the killing of Charlie Kirk, but also for answers about how institutions should respond when free speech crosses into dangerous territory.
