🔗 Share this article

The future president of the Oxford Union has been removed from his position after losing a no-confidence vote that followed his disputed social media posts about the conservative activist.

The motion against the student leader reached the required two-thirds threshold to remove him from office, according to an statement from the society.

Contentious Posts

The dispute erupted after Mr Abaraonye reportedly shared messages on online platforms that seemed to celebrate the killing of Charlie Kirk, who was fatally shot while addressing a college in Utah.

According to reports, one Instagram post reportedly stated "Charlie Kirk got shot loool" - using an extended form of the acronym for 'laughing out loud'.

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 results announced on this week.

Official notices indicated that over twelve hundred votes were cast in favor of removal, while just over five hundred were against the motion.

The announcement confirmed that the president-elect was deemed to have resigned in following the Oxford Union's rules.

Election Controversies

Proceedings were temporarily halted early on Monday after the returning officer was allegedly subjected to "obstruction, intimidation, and unwarranted hostility" from multiple individuals.

In a response, the student claimed that the count had been stopped because electoral officials believed "no legitimate and true result could be reached as a result of process errors".

His response unequivocally denied that any person appointed by the student had engaged in threatening or obstructive conduct.

Ongoing Dispute

The student stated that significant concerns had been submitted to the disciplinary committee and that he continued as president-elect.

His comment added that he was "proud and thankful to have the support of significantly more than half of university members" who supported a "safe election and oppose efforts to undermine the electoral process".

Opponents have said that any decision to keep him would "signal to the world that the society has chosen ideology over integrity".

External Reactions

On Friday, Mikey McCoy read out an public message to the society on The Charlie Kirk Show podcast.

The letter criticized the union of becoming a place where "presidents of the union openly applaud the killing of a ideological rival".

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 graced the union's chamber and advise them against future participation".

The Oxford Union had earlier criticized the student's comments after the activist's killing and confirmed that concerns filed against him had been forwarded for disciplinary proceedings.

The student leader had been one of several students to discuss with the activist at the society in spring.