UK Councillor Resigns After Facebook Post on Charlie Kirk's Killing Sparked Outrage
- Burnley councillor Fiona Wild resigned after posting “good riddance” about the killing of US activist Charlie Kirk
- Burnley Council said it does not condone the remarks and confirmed an investigation into public complaints
- Charlie Kirk, co-founder of Turning Point USA and ally of Donald Trump, was shot dead at a Utah college
A Burnley councillor has stepped down after drawing outrage with a social media post celebrating the killing of US conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
Fiona Wild, who represented Lanehead ward as an independent, confirmed her resignation after sharing a comment on Facebook that many residents described as inhumane.
Source: Getty Images
The post, which has since been deleted, referred to Kirk’s assassination as “good riddance” and claimed the “not very nice man made himself a target and brought this on himself.”
Wild had previously served as a Labour councillor before moving to an independent position on Burnley Council.
Council officials announced her resignation on Thursday and confirmed that complaints about the post were being investigated.
A statement from Burnley Council said it “does not condone the comments” and had received multiple reports from members of the public.
Conservative group leader Councillor Jamie McGowan was among those calling for Wild to step down.
“It’s such a disgusting thing to say, which shows a nasty side I didn’t know she had,” McGowan said. He added that residents across the borough had expressed shock over her remarks.
A university staff member was fired for similar offence.
The controversy followed the fatal shooting of Charlie Kirk, a prominent American media figure and political activist, at a Utah college on Wednesday. Kirk, 31, gained national recognition as co-founder of Turning Point USA, a student organisation promoting conservative values on liberal-leaning campuses.
He was known for hosting open-air debates and for his widely followed podcast, where he frequently discussed topics ranging from climate policy to gender identity.
Kirk's killer identified and arrested
After the FBI released the images of the suspected shooter and footage showing how he jumped off the rooftop from which he fired the fatal shot at Kirk, with the concerted help of the public, the gunman was found and arrested.
It was said that it was the family of the suspect who gave out information about him to local authorities.
The suspect, Tyler Robbinson, 22, had travelled 50 miles from the site of the shooting to where he was arrested.
United States President Donald Trump was the first to announce the apprehension on the pro-Trump broadcast news network, Fox News. "To a high degree of certainty, we have him," the 47th leader of the free world said.
He commended everyone who put effort into the manhunt, from local law enforcement agencies to the state governor and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
Source: Twitter
Utah's governor emphatically stated that the murder of the young orator was no doubt a political assassination.
Kirk's remains was flown out of Utah with Air Force 2, courtesy of Vice President J.D Vance, who cancelled plans for the 9/11 memorial anniversary.
Charlie Kirk: 4 things to know
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that Charlie Kirk, a major conservative figure in America, was shot dead by a gunman while making a speech in Utah.
His death has attracted various kinds of reactions, but mostly condemnations from people across the world.
However, many people said they never knew anything about Charlie Kirk until news of his killing went viral.
Proofreading by James Ojo, copy editor at Legit.ng.
Source: Legit.ng
