UK Conservative Party Leader, Kemi Badenoch, has criticised the online reactions that followed the killing of American conservative activist Charlie Kirk, describing them as evidence of the “normalisation of violence against those who think differently.”
In a post on her X handle on Monday, Badenoch said she was disturbed by the celebratory tone adopted by some users after the 31-year-old was gunned down in Utah last week.
“My feed was filled with people celebrating his death with grotesque glee,” she wrote. “Videos of Kirk were chopped, twisted and repurposed by users, making him appear to say things he never said — all to justify their hate.”
Badenoch also condemned left-leaning influencers and journalists whom she accused of mocking the killing.
“This is not just cruelty. It is the normalisation of violence against those who dare to think differently,” she said. “A culture that cheers when opponents are silenced by force is one that is heading towards catastrophe.”
She further linked the backlash to broader threats to free speech, citing the recent arrest of British comedian Graham Linehan over tweets on gender identity.
“Free speech is not negotiable. It is the bedrock of a free nation and one of the values true liberals and true conservatives share,” she stressed.
Charlie Kirk, co-founder of Turning Point USA, was shot dead on September 10, 2025, while addressing about 3,000 supporters at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah.
US authorities have since arrested 22-year-old Tyler James Robinson in connection with the attack. While investigators have yet to disclose a clear motive, the assassination has sparked a global debate about the role of political rhetoric in fuelling violence.
