Student Society President-Elect Removed Following Conservative Activist Comments

Student society event
Charlie Kirk and George Abaraonye took part in a debate at the Oxford Union in May

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

The vote against George Abaraonye reached the necessary two-thirds threshold to remove him from office, according to an statement from the organization.

Disputed Comments

The dispute erupted after Mr Abaraonye reportedly posted messages on online platforms that appeared to celebrate the death of Charlie Kirk, who was fatally shot while speaking at a college in Utah.

According to reports, one social media message reportedly read "Charlie Kirk got shot loool" - using an elongated version of the acronym for 'laughing out loud'.

The student leader is also said to have posted in a WhatsApp chat with other members seeming to express approval of the event.

Vote Outcome

The vote of confidence was conducted over the recent days, with results revealed on this week.

Official notices indicated that 1,228 ballots were cast in favor of no confidence, while just over five hundred were opposed the motion.

The announcement confirmed that the president-elect was considered to have stepped down in following the Oxford Union's rules.

Oxford Union announcement
The student society shared the outcome of the no-confidence vote on Tuesday morning

Election Controversies

Proceedings were informally suspended early on the previous day after the returning officer was reportedly subjected to "interference, threats, and inappropriate behavior" from several representatives.

In a statement, the student claimed that the vote tally had been halted because electoral officials believed "no valid outcome could be reached as a result of procedural failures".

His statement categorically refuted that any person acting for the student had engaged in intimidating or disruptive behavior.

Ongoing Dispute

The president-elect maintained that extremely serious issues had been submitted to the governing body and that he continued as the elected leader.

His comment added that George was "proud and thankful to have the support of well in excess of a majority of students at Oxford" who supported a "secure voting process and oppose efforts to undermine the electoral process".

Opponents have argued that any decision to keep him would "signal to the world that the society has prioritized politics over principles".

Charlie Kirk speaking
Charlie Kirk was fatally shot while speaking at a college in last month

External Reactions

On Friday, Kirk's former chief of staff presented an public message to the Oxford Union on a related program broadcast.

The message accused the union of becoming a institution where "student leaders publicly celebrate the killing of a political opponent".

The statement warned that if Mr Abaraonye were to remain in post, Kirk's allies would "directly reach out to every American political speaker who has ever spoken at the society and advise them against future participation".

The Oxford Union had previously condemned the student's remarks after the activist's killing and stated that concerns submitted about 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 May.

James Richards
James Richards

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