Charlie Kirk’s critics face right-wing cancel culture over free speech

At least 13 Americans have been punished for speaking out after Charlie Kirk’s death - by the same figures who once condemned cancel culture.

After the fatal shooting of right-wing influencer Charlie Kirk, Republican leaders and far-right influencers have launched a sweeping campaign to punish anyone deemed disrespectful of his legacy.

Kirk, a 31-year-old activist and Trump world figure, was known for his combative defence of conservative values, including absolute free speech. Yet since his death, at least 13 people – journalists, academic workers and teachers – have been fired or suspended after making comments online. Some mocked Kirk, others quoted his past remarks on gun deaths or pointed out the irony of a vocal gun rights defender being killed with a rifle.

Prominent conservatives are calling not just for public shaming but for permanent bans and job loss. Laura Loomer, a close Trump ally, warned that those who mocked Kirk should “prepare to have [their] whole future professional aspirations ruined.” Congressman Clay Higgins demanded that critics be banned “from ALL PLATFORMS FOREVER.” Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau said he had directed U.S. officials to take “appropriate action” against those rationalising or making light of the killing.

A new website, "Expose Charlie's Murderers," has published 41 names of individuals it accuses of “supporting political violence,” saying it’s reviewing thousands more. Some of the posts highlighted do celebrate Kirk’s death. Others are critical of his views while explicitly denouncing violence. At least three quotes are lifted from Kirk’s 2023 speech, in which he called some gun deaths “worth it” in defence of the Second Amendment.

One person listed on the site said their employer received a wave of harassing calls and they now fear going to work. “I don’t condone the murder of Charlie Kirk,” they said, “but I do have to appreciate the irony of this situation.”

The response has drawn comparisons to the very “cancel culture” and “woke mindset” that many of these same figures have criticised in the past. Charlie Kirk was a vocal opponent of punishing people for expressing controversial views, and many of his allies built their platforms on defending free speech. Yet now, some of those voices are calling for firings, bans and public shaming of individuals over online comments.

In 2022, following the assault on Paul Pelosi, some of these same figures made light of the incident. Charlie Kirk suggested on television that the attacker should be bailed out. Laura Loomer promoted a false claim about the nature of the attack, while Congressman Clay Higgins shared a meme mocking the victim. Those remarks did not lead to disciplinary action.

Now, critics say the current response to Kirk’s killing reveals a double standard – where free speech is defended only for some, and “cancel culture” is used selectively to punish political opponents.

Jay Childers, associate professor at the University, said there’s a long history of officials trying to control dissent. But today’s environment, he noted, exposes more ordinary people to punishment for their views. “What’s changed,” he said, “is the scale of retribution.”

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