Memes and nihilistic in-jokes: the online world of Charlie Kirk’s alleged killer

The article we are presenting today is not news in the strict sense of the term, but rather an in-depth digression on the relationship between the online environment (including memes, social media, and “online culture”) and the current state of violence as a political tool.

On September 10, 2025, US political activist Charlie Kirk was murdered during the Utah leg of his university lecture tour. He was shot in the neck by Tyler Robinson, a 22-year-old man who is currently facing the death penalty. According to the prosecution and the evidence, Robinson's decision was based on his political ideology, in stark contrast to Kirk's strong and controversial views.

The investigation revealed several aspects of Robinson's plan. The young man had engraved famous phrases from the world of online memes on the bullets and subsequently told his partner what he had done and his intention to turn himself in. The evidence gathered mainly shows a deep connection between the actions and decisions of the young man and the growing ‘online culture’ regarding violence as a response to unfair, often ethically reprehensible, and ideologically divergent politics.