Student Society Future Leader Removed Following Charlie Kirk Posts
The president-elect of the prestigious debating society has been ousted from office after losing a no-confidence vote that followed his controversial social media posts about the conservative activist.
The motion against the student leader reached the necessary two-thirds threshold to remove him from office, according to an statement from the organization.
Disputed Comments
The dispute began after the student reportedly posted messages on online platforms that seemed to welcome the killing of the American conservative figure, who was shot dead while addressing a college in Utah.
According to sources, one social media message reportedly read "Charlie Kirk got shot loool" - using an extended form of the acronym for 'laughing out loud'.
The president-elect is also reported to have written in a WhatsApp chat with other members appearing to express approval of the event.
Vote Outcome
The vote of confidence took place over the weekend, with outcomes revealed on Tuesday.
Society announcements showed that over twelve hundred votes were cast in favor of no confidence, while just over five hundred were opposed the motion.
The announcement stated that the future president was considered to have resigned in accordance with the society's regulations.
Procedural Disputes
Voting operations were temporarily halted early on the previous day after the election official was reportedly subjected to "interference, threats, and inappropriate behavior" from several representatives.
In a response, Mr Abaraonye asserted that the count had been halted because electoral officials believed "no valid outcome could be reached as a result of procedural failures".
His response unequivocally denied that any person acting for George had engaged in threatening or obstructive conduct.
Continuing Controversy
The student maintained that significant concerns had been submitted to the disciplinary committee and that he continued as president-elect.
His statement added that George was "grateful and honored to have the support of well in excess of a majority of students at Oxford" who supported a "secure voting process and resist attempts to subvert democracy".
Opponents have argued that any failure to remove him would "demonstrate internationally that the society has chosen ideology over integrity".
External Reactions
On Friday, Mikey McCoy presented an public message to the Oxford Union on The Charlie Kirk Show broadcast.
The letter accused the society of becoming a place where "presidents of the union publicly celebrate the assassination of a ideological rival".
The statement indicated that if the student were to keep his position, 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 previously condemned the student's comments after the activist's killing and confirmed that concerns filed against him had been referred for official review.
The president-elect had been one of several students to debate with Kirk at the society in May.