Kirk was a conservative American activist and ally of United States President Donald Trump.
As US police zoom in on a suspect linked to the killing of Charlie Kirk, South African lobby group AfriForum Youth says Kirk’s murder is a “wake-up call that points to a global intolerance towards conservative thinking.”
Kirk, a conservative American activist and ally of United States President Donald Trump, was speaking at a debate at Utah Valley University when authorities said a shooter fired a single round from a rooftop, fatally striking him in the neck in an apparent assassination.
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While police in Utah have released a new video and images of a “person of interest”, the shooter remains at large more than a day later, with the FBI offering a $100,000 reward for any information leading to the identification and arrest of those involved.
‘Critical voice’
AfriForum Youth has mourned the murder of Kirk and laid a wreath at the American Embassy in Pretoria on Thursday as a sign of “deep sympathy for the Kirk family and his loved ones.”
The lobby group described Kirk as a “critical voice in the promotion of conservative political thought, especially among Western youth”.
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“Kirk is remembered for his unwavering faith and steadfast character, which he often demonstrated under pressure during interviews and debates. His love for his family and young people everywhere also serves as an example for us,” reads AfriForum Youth’s tribute.
‘Wake-up call’
According to Louis Boshoff, AfriForum Youth Spokesperson, Kirk’s murder is a wake-up call that points to a global intolerance towards conservative thinking.
“Locally, institutions and individuals who challenge leftist beliefs are also subject to fierce criticism and are repeatedly criticised, on an unfounded basis, for racism or a yearning for a return to apartheid.
“However, Kirk has proven through his debates, especially with young people of diverse schools of thought, that the conservative voice must be heard and that well-founded arguments will prevail in a world where a woke agenda is often imposed on young people,” said Boshoff.
Trump, who blamed Kirk’s killing on members of the “radical left” and threatened punitive measures against political rivals, called on his supporters to remain nonviolent.
ALSO READ: Authorities have video footage of Charlie Kirk killer as police find gun
