Student Society President-Elect Removed Due to Charlie Kirk Comments
The future president of the prestigious debating society has been ousted from office after losing a vote of confidence that followed his disputed online comments about Charlie Kirk.
The vote against George Abaraonye reached the required two-thirds threshold to remove him from office, according to an statement from the society.
Disputed Comments
The controversy began after the student reportedly posted messages on online platforms that seemed to celebrate the death of the American conservative figure, who was shot dead while addressing a university in Utah.
According to reports, one social media message reportedly stated "Charlie Kirk got shot loool" - using an extended form of the phrase 'lol'.
The student leader is also reported to have posted in a messaging group with other members appearing to express approval of the event.
Vote Outcome
The vote of confidence took place over the recent days, with outcomes announced on Tuesday.
Society announcements indicated that over twelve hundred votes were cast supporting removal, while 501 were against the motion.
The announcement stated that the future president was considered to have stepped down in following the Oxford Union's rules.
Procedural Disputes
Proceedings were informally suspended early on the previous day after the returning officer was reportedly subjected to "obstruction, intimidation, and unwarranted hostility" from several representatives.
In a statement, the student claimed that the vote tally had been halted because electoral officials believed "no valid outcome could be reached as a result of procedural failures".
His response categorically refuted that any person acting for the student had participated in intimidating or disruptive behavior.
Ongoing Dispute
The student stated that significant concerns had been referred to the disciplinary committee and that he continued as president-elect.
His comment added that he was "grateful and honored to have the backing of significantly more than half of students at Oxford" who voted to have a "secure voting process and oppose efforts to undermine the electoral process".
Critics have said that any failure to remove him would "demonstrate internationally that the society has chosen ideology over integrity".
External Reactions
On recently, Kirk's former chief of staff read out an open letter to the society on The Charlie Kirk Show broadcast.
The message criticized the society of becoming a institution where "student leaders publicly celebrate the assassination of a ideological rival".
The communication warned that if the student were to remain in post, supporters would "personally contact every U.S. political figure who has ever spoken at the society and urge them never again to lend their name".
The society had previously condemned the student's remarks after Kirk's death and confirmed that complaints submitted about him had been referred for official review.
The student leader had been one of several students to debate with Kirk at the society in spring.