🔗 Share this article

The president-elect of the Oxford Union has been ousted from office after failing a no-confidence vote that followed his controversial online comments about Charlie Kirk.

The vote against the student leader reached the necessary super-majority to remove him from office, according to an announcement from the organization.

Disputed Comments

The controversy began after the student reportedly shared messages on social media that appeared to welcome the death of the American conservative figure, who was fatally shot while addressing a college in Utah.

According to sources, one social media message reportedly stated "Charlie Kirk got shot loool" - using an extended form of the phrase 'lol'.

The president-elect is also reported to have posted in a WhatsApp chat with other members seeming to express approval of the event.

Election Results

The vote of confidence was conducted over the weekend, with results revealed on this week.

Society announcements indicated that 1,228 ballots were cast supporting removal, while just over five hundred were opposed the motion.

The announcement stated that the president-elect was deemed to have stepped down in accordance with the Oxford Union's rules.

Procedural Disputes

Proceedings were temporarily halted early on Monday after the returning officer was allegedly subjected to "interference, threats, and inappropriate behavior" from multiple individuals.

In a statement, the student claimed that the count had been halted because electoral officials believed "no legitimate and true result could be reached as a result of procedural failures".

His statement categorically refuted that any representative acting for George had engaged in intimidating or disruptive behavior.

Ongoing Dispute

The president-elect stated that significant concerns had been submitted to the governing body and that he remained the elected leader.

His statement added that George was "grateful and honored to have the support of significantly more than half of university members" who supported a "safe election and resist attempts to subvert democracy".

Opponents have said that any decision to keep him would "signal to the world that the society has prioritized politics over principles".

External Responses

On Friday, Mikey McCoy read out an public message to the society on The Charlie Kirk Show broadcast.

The message accused the society of becoming a institution where "presidents of the union publicly celebrate the assassination of a ideological rival".

The statement warned that if the student were to remain in post, Kirk's allies would "personally contact every American political speaker who has ever spoken at the society and urge them never again to lend their name".

The society had previously condemned Mr Abaraonye's remarks after Kirk's death and confirmed that concerns submitted about him had been forwarded for disciplinary proceedings.

The president-elect had been one of several students to debate with the activist at the union in spring.