An Oxford University student elected as president of the Oxford Union has apologised after messages attributed to him celebrating the fatal shooting of US commentator Charlie Kirk provoked condemnation.
George Abaraonye, a third-year Philosophy, Politics and Economics student who was elected president of the Union in June, told The Times he had "reacted impulsively" and deleted the comments. The messages, first reported by the Daily Mail, included one on WhatsApp that read: "Charlie Kirk got shot, let's f***ing go" and another on Instagram that said: "Charlie Kirk got shot loool." Abaraonye said the comments "did not reflect my values" and extended his condolences to Kirk's family.
The Oxford Union released a statement on X saying it "unequivocally condemn[ed] the reported words and sentiments" attributed to Abaraonye and that his views did not represent the society's current leadership or committee. The statement added that the Union "firmly opposes all forms of political violence and strongly stands by our commitment to free speech and considerate debate," and expressed condolences to Kirk's family.
Charlie Kirk, a conservative activist and commentator, was fatally shot on a university campus in Utah after being struck in the neck by a single bullet, according to reporting. Abaraonye had debated Kirk at the Oxford Union in May, during a debate on "toxic masculinity." The reported messages emerged in the days after Kirk's death and circulated widely on social media, prompting calls for Abaraonye to step down before taking up the presidency.
Abaraonye, 20, is described in student publications as an active campus organiser. He has served as events officer of the University's Arab Society, vice-president of the Oxford African and Caribbean Society and founded a student group called HipHopSoc. Student magazines Isis and Cherwell have featured him, and he was listed among the university's "big names on campus" this year.
Profiles and interviews published in student outlets say Abaraonye grew up in London, qualified for free school meals at his state school and is the son of a local cycling campaigner who runs a bicycle shop. He has campaigned for segregated cycle lanes after saying he was nearly struck by a car.
Reports also note that Abaraonye entered Oxford with A-level results of ABB, below the three A grades listed as the minimum on the university's website for the PPE course, a degree known for its many alumni who later entered politics. Daily Mail reporting says Abaraonye was turned down by other universities, including Warwick, an outcome he discussed candidly in a student interview. Oxford and Cambridge have previously said they take state-school applicants into account as part of admissions processes.
After the messages surfaced, there was immediate rebuke from within and beyond the university. It is uncommon for an incoming president-elect of the Oxford Union to face public criticism from the society before taking office, several student and alumni sources said. The Union's statement said its current leadership had "no association with, and is entirely independent from" Abaraonye.
Abaraonye's apology to The Times said: "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." The Union did not say whether it would seek formal disciplinary action.
The emerging story adds to ongoing debates in Britain about university admissions, representation and free-speech norms on campus, and follows international attention on the circumstances of Kirk's death. University and student leaders have in recent years repeatedly emphasised commitments to both free debate and to opposing political violence; in this instance the Union reiterated those principles while distancing itself from the reported private messages of its president-elect.