George Abaraonye condemned for “let’s f***ing go” WhatsApp messages following Utah shooting
The incoming president of the Oxford Union has been accused of celebrating the assassination of Charlie Kirk, the conservative American activist who was fatally shot whilst speaking at Utah Valley University on Wednesday.
George Abaraonye, who was elected to lead the prestigious debating society in June, allegedly shared messages making light of Kirk’s death just hours after the 31-year-old father-of-two was struck in the neck by a single bullet during his “American Comeback Tour” event in Utah.
Messages believed to have been sent by Abaraonye have been widely shared on social media. One, reportedly posted in a WhatsApp group for Oxford freshers, reads: “Charlie Kirk got shot, let’s f***ing go”. Another message, allegedly posted on the student’s Instagram account before being deleted, states: “Charlie Kirk got shot loool”.
The Oxford Union moved swiftly to condemn the remarks. In a statement posted on Thursday, the society said: “The Oxford Union would like to unequivocally condemn the reported words and sentiments expressed by the 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 current administration has, under President Moosa Harraj, no association with, and is entirely independent from Mr Abaraonye’s administration.”
The controversy is particularly striking given that Abaraonye had debated Kirk at the Oxford Union just four months ago. During a May event titled “This house believes Trump has gone too far”, the pair clashed over the concept of “toxic masculinity”, with Kirk reportedly urging the younger man to “think about” their discussion as they parted.
Adrian Hilton, a prominent commentator, posted on social media: “Now I’ve seen the actual message George Abaraonye posted, complete with praying hands, as if thanking God for Charlie Kirk’s death, he is absolutely not a fit and proper person to become President of the Oxford Union in Hilary Term 2026.”
Kirk, who founded the conservative youth organisation Turning Point USA aged just 18, was shot dead whilst fielding questions from students at Utah Valley University. He was discussing mass shootings when a gunman, believed to have fired from a nearby rooftop, struck him in the neck. Despite being rushed to hospital, Kirk succumbed to his injuries.
The assassination has prompted an outpouring of grief from across the political spectrum. President Donald Trump, who credited Kirk with helping mobilise young voters in his successful re-election campaign, called him a “martyr for truth and freedom” and ordered flags on US government buildings to be lowered to half-mast.
“The Great, and even Legendary, Charlie Kirk, is dead. No one understood or had the Heart of the Youth in the United States of America better than Charlie,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform.
Utah Governor Spencer Cox described the killing as a “political assassination” and said it marked “a dark day for our state” and “a tragic day for our nation”. A manhunt remains ongoing for the shooter, described as a college-aged male. Officials confirmed they have video footage of the suspect and recovered a high-powered bolt-action rifle from a wooded area nearby.
In his own statement following the backlash, Abaraonye claimed: “Last night I received the shocking news about a shooting at Charlie Kirk’s event. In that moment of shock, I reacted impulsively and made comments prior to Charlie being pronounced dead that I quickly deleted upon learning of his passing.”
He added: “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 Oxford Union controversy forms part of a wider backlash against those perceived to be celebrating or minimising Kirk’s death. Left-wing writer Nels Abbey sparked fury on ITV’s Good Morning Britain by comparing Kirk to David Duke, the former Grand Wizard of the Ku Klux Klan, just hours after the shooting.
“I believe he was a David Duke for the TikTok age,” Abbey told presenters Kate Garraway and Ed Balls, prompting immediate condemnation from viewers who called his remarks “shameful” and “abhorrent”.
The BBC also faced criticism for its coverage after inviting Democratic strategist Joi Chaney onto a panel, where she stunned audiences by stating that Kirk “wasn’t admired and loved by all” whilst appearing to laugh about the tragedy.
Another controversial response came from left-wing activist Femi Oluwole, who posted: “The same people who spent the last two years telling us to treat the murder of 80,000 in Gaza as an acceptable and justified loss are about to get real precious about the sanctity of one human life.
A former tutorial fellow at University College Oxford, speaking anonymously, said of Abaraonye’s comments: “George Abaraonye’s comments are not tongue-in-cheek banter but a cruel and wicked demonstration of turning a violent public assassination into legitimatised triviality. There should be no place at the University of Oxford or at University College for these views.”
The Oxford Union, founded in 1823, has long prided itself on being “the world’s foremost debating society” and a bastion of free speech, having hosted figures from Malcolm X to multiple prime ministers. Abaraonye, who previously served as vice-president of the Oxford African and Caribbean Society, is scheduled to assume the presidency in Hilary Term 2026.
An Oxford University spokesperson distanced the institution from the controversy, stating: “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.”
Kirk leaves behind his wife Erika, a podcaster, and two young children aged one and three. His organisation, Turning Point USA, confirmed his death in a statement asking for prayers for his family, saying: “May he be received into the merciful arms of our loving saviour, who suffered and died for Charlie.”
The shooting represents the latest in a string of political violence incidents in America, including two assassination attempts against Trump last year and the killing of a Minnesota lawmaker and her husband in June. FBI Director Kash Patel confirmed a suspect had been detained for questioning but later released as the investigation continues.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who had spoken with Kirk just two weeks ago and invited him to Israel, called him a “lion-hearted friend of Israel” who “fought the lies and stood tall for Judeo-Christian civilisation.
As the manhunt for Kirk’s killer continues, the incident has reignited fierce debates about political rhetoric, free speech, and the consequences of inflammatory language in an increasingly polarised world.
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