The prestigious Oxford debating society voted to oust its incoming president over comments that appeared to celebrate the killing of US conservative activist Charlie Kirk, the Oxford Union said Tuesday, per the AP. More than the required two-thirds of voters, many of whom were alumni voting by proxy, supported the no-confidence measure against President-elect George Abaraonye. Abaraonye, who's in his final year at University College, has challenged the result for procedural failures.
He was accused of cheering in a WhatsApp chat with fellow students after Kirk, the founder of Turning Point USA, was gunned down during a rally last month at Utah Valley University. Kirk and Abaraonye had debated toxic masculinity during an Oxford Union event in May. After Abaraonye's comments came to light, he was widely condemned and faced racial abuse and threats. The union condemned the abuse but also condemned his remarks and opened disciplinary proceedings.
Abaraonye said in an Instagram post, since deleted, that the no-confidence measure, which he submitted, would reclaim accountability and reaffirm the union was a place where students can make mistakes, apologize, and learn from them. After the vote, he claimed the officer who ran the election "shared around the email account collecting proxy votes," resulting in a "compromised" poll, per Sky News. The final vote was 501 in favor of Abaraonye keeping his position, with 1,228 opposed.
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