Cambridge students who debated with Charlie Kirk mourn his death | UK News

Four months ago, Charlie Kirk debated with students at the University of Cambridge on views including abortion, women’s rights and religion. On Wednesday, the 31-year-old right-wing American activist was fatally shot while speaking on stage in Utah. While these students disagreed with many of his views, they have unequivocally condemned the shooting and recognised his commitment to peaceful debate.

In May, Kirk was invited to the Cambridge Union for a question and answer debate event.

Sammy McDonald was the last student due to debate with him, and the US support of Israel’s campaign in Gaza was a focal point of their discussion.

The History student told the : “Nothing – political or otherwise – can ever justify such a horrendous act or the ruination of the lives of those close to him.

“Political disagreement cannot be, and must never be, a death sentence.

“Even in deeply polarised times, we must never lose sight of our humanity and our respect for the sanctity of all human life.”

He said while Kirk was someone he “profoundly” disagreed with, he respected his commitment to the power of debate.

“We both recognised that the ability to debate ideas freely, to speak your mind without fear of violence is what distinguished democracy from tyranny and is the foundation on which the American republic and the liberal tradition is built.”

Referencing the deaths of MPs Jo Cox (Labour) and Sir David Amess (Conservative), he said young people were growing up in a world “sullied by increasing political violence and poisoned political discourse”.

“One of the most surprising experiences from my encounter with Kirk was the magnanimity and generosity of his many supporters, who were willing to talk to me, listen to me and acknowledge peaceful disagreement, even changing our preconceptions about each other.”

Kai Bevan, 20, a third-year medical student, debated with Kirk over his views on abortion.

“Never in a million years would I have thought something like that would happen.

“We had our differences, but the expression of those kinds of views should never entail a death sentence. I was mortified.”

He said others he had spoken to have been similarly “shocked” at the incident.

“What affects me most is the fact that someone who, in a non-violent way, goes to college campuses and expresses his views – yes he’s known to be inflammatory, but he’s not known to incite violence or physical harm or suffering – and for someone who just does that to lose their life really warrants self-reflection as a society.”

When Archie Mackintosh opened his question for Kirk, he admitted he was a “little nervous”.

“There’s a real chance I could wake up tomorrow front page of YouTube: ‘Charlie Kirk owns manbun idiot with facts and logistics’,” he said.

Kirk jokingly suggested an alternative: “Destroys.”

The 23-year-old from Norfolk exchanged opinions on marriage and society generally. He said he had yet to process Kirk’s death.

“Despite the fact that I disagree with a lot of his opinions, maybe most of them, he was generally so driven about trying to make the world a better place in his eyes.”

Inflicting violence on someone you think is spreading harmful rhetoric, “will only turn them into a hero”, he added.

“I think it will make people think, ‘Wow’, they were speaking so much truth that they had to be silenced.

“Even if you’re 100% convinced that everything someone is saying will contribute negatively to the world, trying to silence them is not going to work.”

Tilly Middlehurst, wearing a knitted cream jumper stitched with the stars and stripes of the United States, asked Kirk about religion, his views on the changing roles of women in society, and what defined a woman.

“I’m a feminist,” she said, in opening her question.

She shared her thoughts following his death with her 91,100 followers on Instagram, and said it had left her “shaken and disgusted”.

“Regardless of how you feel about Kirk, about violence, about politics, this was disastrous,” she said.

Speaking to the , she said this is not what politics “should look like”.

“Political violence like this affects all of us, it doesn’t just affect the people that you disagree with.

“This isn’t a step in the right direction. This is fighting fascism.”