Student Society President-Elect Ousted Due to Conservative Activist Comments
The future president of the Oxford Union has been removed from his position after losing a no-confidence vote that followed his disputed online comments about Charlie Kirk.
The vote against George Abaraonye achieved the necessary two-thirds threshold to oust him from his position, according to an announcement from the society.
Disputed Comments
The controversy began after Mr Abaraonye reportedly posted messages on online platforms that appeared to celebrate the killing of the American conservative figure, who was shot dead while speaking at a university in the United States.
According to reports, one social media message reportedly stated "Charlie Kirk got shot loool" - using an extended form of the acronym for 'laughing out loud'.
The president-elect is also reported to have posted in a messaging group with fellow students seeming to express approval of the event.
Vote Outcome
The no-confidence motion was conducted over the recent days, with outcomes revealed on this week.
Society announcements showed that over twelve hundred votes were cast supporting no confidence, while 501 were opposed the motion.
The notice stated that the future president was deemed to have stepped down in accordance with the Oxford Union's rules.
Procedural Disputes
Proceedings were temporarily halted early on the previous day after the election official was allegedly subjected to "interference, threats, and inappropriate behavior" from several representatives.
In a statement, Mr Abaraonye asserted that the vote tally had been stopped because election administrators believed "no valid outcome could be reached as a result of procedural failures".
His statement unequivocally denied that any representative appointed by the student had participated in intimidating or disruptive behavior.
Continuing Controversy
The student maintained that significant concerns had been referred to the disciplinary committee and that he remained president-elect.
His statement added that George was "proud and thankful to have the support of significantly more than half of university members" who supported a "secure voting process and resist attempts to subvert democracy".
Opponents have argued that any decision to keep him would "demonstrate internationally that the society has prioritized politics over principles".
External Responses
On Friday, Kirk's former chief of staff read out an open letter to the society on a related program podcast.
The letter criticized the union of becoming a institution where "student leaders openly applaud the killing of a political opponent".
The communication indicated that if the student were to remain in post, supporters would "directly reach out to every American political speaker who has ever spoken at the society and urge them never again to lend their name".
The society had earlier criticized Mr Abaraonye's remarks after the activist's killing and stated that complaints filed against him had been forwarded for disciplinary proceedings.
The student leader had been one of multiple members to debate with Kirk at the union in spring.