Student Society Future Leader Ousted Due to Conservative Activist Posts
The president-elect of the prestigious debating society has been removed from his position after failing a no-confidence vote that came after his controversial social media posts about Charlie Kirk.
The vote against George Abaraonye reached the necessary two-thirds threshold to remove him from office, according to an statement from the organization.
Contentious Posts
The controversy erupted after Mr Abaraonye reportedly shared messages on online platforms that appeared to celebrate the killing of Charlie Kirk, who was shot dead while speaking at a college in Utah.
According to sources, 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 reported to have posted in a WhatsApp chat with other members seeming to welcome the incident.
Vote Outcome
The no-confidence motion was conducted over the recent days, with results announced on Tuesday.
Official notices showed that 1,228 ballots were cast in favor of no confidence, while 501 were against the motion.
The announcement confirmed that the president-elect was considered to have resigned in accordance with the society's regulations.
Procedural Disputes
Proceedings were informally suspended early on the previous day after the returning officer was reportedly subjected to "interference, threats, and inappropriate behavior" from multiple individuals.
In a statement, the student claimed that the vote tally had been stopped because electoral officials believed "no valid outcome could be reached as a result of procedural failures".
His response 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 referred to the disciplinary committee and that he continued as president-elect.
His comment added that he was "grateful and honored to have the support of significantly more than half of students at Oxford" who voted to have a "safe election and oppose efforts to undermine the electoral process".
Opponents have said that any decision to keep him would "demonstrate internationally that the society has prioritized politics over principles".
External Reactions
On recently, Kirk's former chief of staff read out an public message to the society on The Charlie Kirk Show broadcast.
The letter criticized the society of becoming a place where "student leaders publicly celebrate the assassination of a ideological rival".
The communication indicated that if the student were to remain in post, supporters would "personally contact every U.S. political figure who has ever spoken at the society and urge them never again to lend their name".
The society had earlier criticized the student's comments after Kirk's death and confirmed that concerns submitted about him had been forwarded for disciplinary proceedings.
The student leader had been one of several students to debate with the activist at the union in spring.