The social media platform Bluesky has warned users to stop ‘glorifying violence’ in the wake of Charlie Kirk’s death, after some left-wing voices began posting dream hit lists of other high-profile targets they’d like to see dead including JK Rowling.
The platform was created as a left-wing alternative to X and attracted millions of liberal followers who were outraged by Elon Musk‘s purchase and renaming of Twitter.
But in the wake of Kirk’s murder while he was speaking to students at Utah Valley University on Wednesday, the platform saw a wave of posts openly celebrating the fatal shooting.
Following the death of the conservative commentator and pro-Trump activist, some users even voiced their desire for other well-known figures to be targetted, including the British author of Harry Potter.
One person wrote: ‘I’m glad that guy died but they’re going really hard on the ‘Ohh this is a dark day for America’ about a guy I had never heard of until he was shot. Can we get JK Rowling next? The UK would be unbearable about it but it’s for the greater good of trans people.’
Other users had U.S. President Donald Trump on their hit list. ‘Rest in piss,’ wrote one person. ‘Go get Trump next.’
Ring-wing influencer Charlie Kirk (pictured) eerily spoke about gun violence as he was gorily assassinated at a Utah Valley University Rally
In the wake of Charlie Kirk’s death, some Bluesky users voiced their desire for other well-known figures to be killed, such as British author JK Rowling
Bluesky saw a wave of posts which openly celebrated the death of the Conservative commentator and pro-Trump activist
On Thursday, Rowling herself posted on X condemning people as ‘illiberal’ who can’t handle the free speech of their opponents, and said acts of political violence were akin to terrorism.
‘If you believe free speech is for you but not your political opponents, you’re illiberal.’
‘If no contrary evidence could change your beliefs, you’re a fundamentalist,’ she continued.
‘If you believe the state should punish those with contrary views, you’re a totalitarian.
‘If you believe political opponents should be punished with violence or death, you’re a terrorist.’
Other potential targets circulating on people’s hit lists included right-wing commentators Ben Shapiro, Benny Johnson and Andy Ngo.
In a post on Bluesky’s ‘Safety’ account, officials for the company wrote: ‘Glorifying violence or harm violates Bluesky’s Community Guidelines. We review reports and take action on content that celebrates harm against anyone.’
‘Violence has no place in healthy public discourse, and we’re committed to fostering healthy, open conversations,’ the post continued.
The tent was cordoned off as detectives attempted to piece together how Kirk was shot
Kirk was participating in a ‘Prove Me Wrong’ debate at Utah Valley University when he was fatally shot
According to the platform’s ‘Cardinal Directions,’ any of the 38 million users who violate that policy to celebrate Kirk’s assassination or promote violence against political activists could have their account suspended or removed from Bluesky.
Kirk was the founder of Turning Point USA, a nonprofit organisation that promoted conservative values, free markets, and limited government to young people, especially on college campuses.
The 31-year-old was just 20 minutes into his debate-style forum during the ‘American Comeback’ event when a single gunshot rang out, fatally striking Kirk in the neck.
Security rushed him from the stage, and he was transported to Timpanogos Regional Hospital in Orem, where he was later pronounced dead. Meanwhile, the shooter was caught on camera dashing across a rooftop in the moments after he opened fire.
A $100,000 reward is being offered for information leading to the identification of the shooter, who is still on the run. Hedge fund manager Bill Ackman later said he will add $1million to the FBI’s reward.
As the vast manhunt for a shooter stretched into its third day, authorities said their suspect is a college-aged male with a high level of proficiency in handling firearms and a likely familiarity with the university campus in Utah.
Bluesky has allowed users to share short posts, similar to tweets on X, while also advertising that the platform has stronger rules against hate speech.
It started as a side project inside Twitter in 2019, funded by then-CEO Jack Dorsey, to create a more open and user-controlled network.
Kirk leaves behind his wife Erika Frantzve, with whom he had a three-year-old daughter and a son, 16 months (pictured: Kirk and his family)
After the gun shot rang, panic ensued among the masses, causing them to flee the scene (pictured)
President Trump (left) led tributes to Kirk (right) after he was fatally shot in the neck Wednesday
However, Bluesky became an independent company in 2021 and fully launched its app to the public in 2023 in response to Musk’s changes to X.
Musk bought Twitter in late 2022 for $44 billion and eventually loosened content rules in an effort to ‘maximise free speech,’ which conservative voices have claimed was being suppressed on social media.
Many users left X because of their dislike for Musk’s support of Trump before the 2024 presidential election.
The left-leaning site saw two million new users join after Musk officially joined the Trump Administration in November 2024, including progressives, journalists, and prominent anti-Trump voices.
This article was originally published by a www.dailymail.co.uk . Read the Original article here. .