Father-of-two Mr Kirk, 31, a Donald Trump ally and co-founder and chief executive of the youth right-wing organisation Turning Point USA, was shot and killed at a Utah Valley University show on Wednesday, in what authorities called a political assassination.
George Abaraonye, a student at Oxford University who became president-elect of the Oxford Union after a vote earlier this year, posted several comments appearing to celebrate what happened, The Telegraph reported.
The Times reported that in one message to fellow students in a WhatsApp chat, Mr Abaraonye wrote, “Charlie Kirk got shot, let’s f****** go”, while another on his Instagram account read: “Charlie Kirk got shot loool.”
Mr Kirk and Mr Abaraonye, a politics, philosophy and economics student, met during a debate on “toxic masculinity” held by the Oxford Union – which is primarily for students and staff at the university – in May.
The Oxford University student asked Mr Kirk about the so-called “generation of lost boys”, a demographic group of boys and young men who are falling behind girls and women in education, employment and social outcomes.
— Oxford Union (@OxfordUnion) September 11, 2025
In response, Mr Kirk said: “In America, we made a stupid decision in the 1970s, 80s and 90s to shut down our factories in the middle part of the country and basically disenfranchise and de-industrialise tens of millions of working class men and tell them to go move to the cities and learn to code… however, given all the economic and social and all those factors, the largest of all of them is the cultural and the educational that has infantilised men and hyper-feminised them in the messaging, in the outreach and in the treatment.”
Mr Abaraonye asked Mr Kirk how the education system in the US has infantilised men.
“I mean, every possible way,” Mr Kirk said. “From the hyper-medication of young men, from the core curriculum in America, we learn about toxic masculinity from ages eight in public schools in California and in New York, we never talk about toxic femininity.”
The pair disagreed throughout the debate, but the conversation remained civil.
In a statement posted on X on Thursday, the Oxford Union criticised the student’s comments and said it “firmly opposes all forms of political violence and strongly stands by our commitment to free speech and considerate debate”.
It added: “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.
“His reported views do not represent the Oxford Union’s current leadership or committee’s view.”
The statement 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.”
Describing itself as “the most prestigious debating society in the world”, the Oxford Union was founded in 1823 and counts historical figures, including Malcolm X, among those to have attended its discussions.
US President Mr Trump paid tribute to Mr Kirk as a “martyr for truth and freedom” after the shooting, while Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and other leading UK politicians expressed condolences online.
A UK offshoot of Mr Kirk’s Turning Point USA will gather in Whitehall on Friday evening to remember him.
An Oxford University spokeswoman said: “The Oxford Union is independent of the university.
“We deplore comments appearing to endorse violence – they are unacceptable and entirely contrary to the values of our community.”
