Charlie Kirk's funeral: a turning point?
Tens of thousands of people attended a public memorial service for murdered right-wing conservative activist Charlie Kirk on Sunday at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona. US President Donald Trump described the influencer as a "martyr for American freedom" and repeated his claim that the "radical left" was responsible for the murder. Europe's press voices concern.
An icon for the right across the globe
La Stampa takes a closer look at the mourners from all over the world:
“The pompous funeral has finally turned Charlie Kirk into the Martin Luther King of conservatives worldwide. He was not just a martyr for freedom, but an apostle of 'God's plan' to put the values of home, freedom and family back at the centre of society, his widow said. The fervour with which the right around the world, but especially in Italy, has participated in this event from afar goes beyond the obvious aspects (Kirk died for his ideas, Kirk was the target of pro-hate groups, Kirk was one of us) and also serves a concrete political need.”
Ailing liberal democracies
Jutarnji list takes a pessimistic view of the future:
“It is difficult to imagine how Western societies can free themselves from the toxic morass of polarising propaganda. ... When Charlie Kirk collapsed dead, it was clear that Maga propaganda would turn him into a modern political Jesus and exploit his death to launch a classic political witch hunt with totalitarian views on relations with the media or political dissidents. ... Even more violent words will be spoken. Bullets will fly. In a country where moderators and reporters are suspended because they dare to make cynical comments on sensitive issues, it's hard to speak of a functioning democracy.”
Motive still unclear
Aftonbladet reflects on the perpetrator's motive and compares the act to the assassination attempt in Pennsylvania in July 2024, when a student shot then-presidential candidate Donald Trump and injured his ear:
“Researchers call this phenomenon 'nihilistic violence' or 'nihilistic extremism', and describe it as terrorism devoid of ideology. The driving force is not political, economic or personal gain, but rather a quest for visibility, reactions and status in the digital arena. The act becomes a form of 'content' that lives a life of its own long after the victim and perpetrator have disappeared from the scene.”