The Oxford Union is facing growing criticism after its president-elect, George Abaraonye, was accused of posting messages that appeared to celebrate the killing of American conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
Several prominent speakers cancelled scheduled appearances at the historic debating society following the reports, and the Oxford Union’s outgoing leadership issued an unprecedented public condemnation of the reported comments, saying the views did not represent the current administration.
Entrepreneur Josh Wolfe, co-founder of New York venture capital firm Lux Capital, said he had withdrawn from an invitation to speak on technology and venture capital and would stay away “until cultural leadership from the top celebrates peace and coexistence and civil discourse and denounces violence.” Liora Rez, executive director of the US campaign group StopAntisemitism, also cancelled and the organisation said it would not engage with the society “until George Abaraonye steps down/is removed” because of safety concerns and what it called the president-elect’s “pro-violent stance.”
The reported posts, which have been widely circulated on social media, included wording along the lines of “Charlie Kirk got shot, let's f***ing go” and “Charlie Kirk got shot loool,” according to coverage by the society and media reports. The Oxford Union’s committee, led by outgoing president Moosa Harraj, said it “would like to unequivocally condemn the reported words and sentiments expressed by the president-elect.” The statement added that the current leadership had “no association with, and is entirely independent from” Abaraonye’s administration.
Abaraonye told the student newspaper Cherwell that he “received the shocking news about a shooting at Charlie Kirk’s event” and that, in a moment of shock, he reacted impulsively and made comments that were deleted upon learning of Kirk’s death. He said the words did not reflect his values and offered condolences to Kirk’s family, saying “nobody deserves to be the victim of political violence.” He also said his reaction was shaped by what he described as Kirk’s past rhetoric.
The University of Oxford, which is separate from the student society, said the Oxford Union is independent of the university and added: “We deplore comments appearing to endorse violence — they are unacceptable and entirely contrary to the values of our community.”
Kirk, founder of the conservative group Turning Point USA, was shot in the neck while speaking about mass shootings at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah. He was taken to hospital and later died, officials said. Authorities described the shooter as a college-age male and said they had video footage of an individual leaving the scene. A high-powered bolt-action rifle was recovered from a wooded area after the shooter reportedly jumped from a roof and fled. A manhunt was under way.
President Donald Trump posted on Truth Social nearly five hours after the shooting to announce Kirk’s death, delivered condolences to Kirk’s family and called for flags on US government buildings to be lowered to half-staff. Trump described Kirk as a “martyr for truth and freedom” and praised him in subsequent posts.
The killing prompted a wave of commentary across the political spectrum. Some commentators and public figures criticised what they saw as attempts by others on the left to use Kirk’s death for political advantage, while others condemned remarks that appeared to celebrate the shooting. A number of media appearances and social-media posts about the episode drew additional controversy and public backlash.
The Oxford Union, founded in 1823 and long a venue for contentious and high-profile debates, has previously been led by figures who later entered politics in Britain. The society reiterated its commitment to free speech and “considerate debate” in its statement and said it stood in opposition to all forms of political violence.
The president-elect is due to take up the post in the coming weeks. The union did not say whether it would seek to remove Abaraonye, noting only the distinction between its current leadership and the incoming administration. Several invited speakers said they would await further action from the society before reconsidering engagements.
As investigators continued to search for the shooter, the controversy surrounding the Oxford Union’s president-elect added pressure on the society to address concerns from prospective speakers, students and external groups about safety and the tone of its governance and public representation.