MLAs should reflect on safety in the wake of Charlie Kirk’s death, speaker says

MLAs should reflect on their public safety in the wake of the assassination of US activist Charlie Kirk, Stormont’s speaker has said.

During a meeting of the Assembly on Monday, several MLAs spoke about the murder of Mr Kirk and its impact on Northern Ireland.

Speaker of the Assembly Edwin Poots said: “We all need to reflect on the issue and be conscious that the public square is not necessarily always a safe place to be.

“Every Member needs to reflect on that and be aware of it.

“Whilst in America such an event can happen somewhat more easily because of the number of guns that are available, we have seen the murder of two Members of Parliament in the United Kingdom, and a number of our offices have been targeted recently and not so recently.

“Members need to be aware of all those things and reflect on them.

“It is important, it is why we are here as a democratic institution, to give voice to people.

“That voice can disagree a lot and be forceful and contentious at times, but that does not give anyone the right to take anybody’s life or to cause harm to another person because of the views that they have expressed.

“I encourage every Member, as a public representative, to be strong and to go out and represent your people as you are elected to do in the way that you see fit. We all have a job to do for our constituents.”

Mr Kirk, a conservative activist and social media personality, was shot during an event at Utah Valley University in the US on Wednesday.

TUV MLA Timothy Gaston, who asked for Assembly time to discuss the murder, spoke about Mr Kirk’s Christian beliefs and the grief he felt for his wife and two children.

He said: “This loss is deeply felt, not only by his family but by all those who value conviction, courage and the right to speak freely.

“Charlie Kirk stood for family, for his Christian values as conservative principles, when he was advocating all the time for family, faith and liberty.

“His approach to those who disagreed with him was grounded in biblical exhortation. His work reached a global audience with many homes in Northern Ireland, including my own.

“Following him, he gave a voice to those with Christian and conservative views by defending the right to speak without fear of censorship or intimidation.

“This Assembly should reflect on what his life teaches us, freedom of expression and the liberties we hold dear are fragile, and they must be defended against political violence.

“Politically motivated murder is and was always wrong. We need only to look at our own history.”

Sinn Fein representative Sinead Ennis said: “The horrific scenes that were played out on social media were absolutely dreadful to watch.

“There has been a lot of talk about freedom of speech. While I uphold everyone’s right to that, it must come with the understanding that there is huge responsibility with regard to what we say and the impact that it can have.

“We must be mindful of the language that we use.

“I am sure that that will be debated ad nauseam over the next period, but today I will think of the grieving family at the heart of this who have been left to pick up the pieces.”

DUP MLA Jonathan Buckley said: “At its core this is a human loss, with a family broken and torn apart in the most cruel and inhumane way imaginable.

“No words can ease their pain, nor will they ever, but today we stand with them in their grief and their loss.

“Charlie was a beaming light in a world that is consumed by darkness.

“A man with unwavering conviction, he stood boldly for the truth, guided by courage and passion. His voice resonated with a generation, especially with young people who saw in him a rare form of leadership, unafraid, unfiltered and unshaken.

“Charlie Kirk was not assassinated because of the words that he spoke, he was assassinated because our young people were prepared to listen and to take courage in standing up for truth with conviction.”

Alliance MLA Eoin Tennyson added: “There is no place for political violence in any society.

“Indeed, a fair and free democracy relies on the ability of all of us, politicians, activists and members of the public, to engage in public life without fear of reprisal, violence, attack or intimidation.

“It is important to say that political violence is not the preserve of left, right or centre.

“Irrespective of where we stand on the political spectrum, we have an obligation as democrats to stand against political violence wherever it raises its head, whoever is responsible for it and whomever it is targeted against.”

SDLP leader of the opposition Matthew O’Toole highlighted the need for the protection of free speech.

He said: “The assassination of Charlie Kirk will leave a lasting legacy for many people who were supporters.

“It is a grotesque, horrifying sign of the breakdown of basic democratic values.

“It should go without saying in any democracy that the right to disagree is sacrosanct, the right to free speech, even to say things that do offend other people.

“This is something that has to be protected.

“It should also go without saying that we obviously share profound condolences with Charlie Kirk’s widow, his family, and all those who were close to him.”

UUP representative Jon Burrows added: “It is absolutely vital that people can speak and be heard and be controversial.

“Every one of us in this place should use our language to say that violence is wrong and always has been wrong.

“There are people listening to us out there, particularly young people, who cannot make the distinction that some who sit in this place can, in saying, ‘violence was OK up to that point, that date, when we said so, but it is not justified any more’.

“We need to take that out of the equation.”