Assassinated For Speaking

Author

Global Recap
September 10, 2025 • Read in: 16 minutes

Dear Global Recap readers,

Today, I am at a loss for words.

Not because Charlie Kirk, a prominent conservative activist, was just assassinated, but because of how some people reacted to the news.

Honestly, I wasn’t sure I could write today’s newsletter. Maybe I am still in shock from watching the graphic video of Kirk being shot, I don't know.

But before moving on, I need to say this:

  • All day, news anchors kept labeling Kirk as "far-right" with "extremist views."

  • I used to believe the same—until years ago, when I made a conscious decision to check out multiple conservative commentators. I remember the exact day I made this very deliberate choice.

  • Once I did, I realized mainstream labels can be extremely misleading. I even felt ashamed for exploring their content, and that shame almost kept me from hearing what they had to say.

Ask anyone who calls him a "fascist" or "nazi" what he actually said to earn that label. Chances are, they won’t be able to point to anything—because they never listened to him.

This is why we always encourage readers not to blindly "pick a side." Critically examine every policy and decide what aligns with your core values. The best way to do that is through conversation, which is exactly what Kirk promoted.

  • Although I sometimes disagreed with his oratory methods, as well as on issues like tariffs, there were plenty of points where I found myself in agreement too.

  • Once again, that’s the point: I wouldn’t have learned this if I had let others gaslight me into thinking I was a fascist simply for listening to different viewpoints.

So please, let's keep talking. Please.

🌐 WORLD
Fast Scroll News

🇵🇱 Poland Triggers NATO Talks

Poland just invoked NATO's Article 4 for the first time after alliance jets shot down multiple Russian drones that crossed into its airspace before dawn on September 10.

  • Incident: More than a dozen Russian drones entered Polish territory.

  • Response: Fighter jets and air-defense systems from the Netherlands, Germany, and Italy were scrambled to intercept and neutralize the drones.

  • Statement: NATO chief Mark Rutte said the violation was "not an isolated incident" and confirmed air defenses remain on high alert along the eastern flank.

  • Denial: Russia's defense ministry claimed it had "not planned" to hit targets in Poland, while Belarus suggested the drones drifted off course due to electronic warfare.

📌 Context: Article 4 lets any NATO member call urgent consultations when it believes its security is threatened. It has been used only eight times since 1949, most recently on the day Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

🇩🇪 Germany Charges Neo-Nazis

German prosecutors just charged eight men from Saxony with plotting to seize parts of eastern Germany and build a Nazi-style state after an anticipated government collapse.

  • Group: The so-called Saxony Separatists formed in February 2020 and had about 20 members at their peak.

  • Plan: They expected a "day X" when Germany's state and society would collapse, then aimed to take control of territory in Saxony.

  • Training: Members practiced house-to-house combat, night marches, and forced marches, and stockpiled knives, machetes, ammunition, and combat gear.

  • Ideology: Their envisioned state included removing ethnic minorities and dismantling democratic institutions.

  • Links: Three members had ties to the far-right Alternative for Germany party, which expelled them after their arrests in November 2024.

📌 Context: German security agencies have tracked multiple extremist groups anticipating societal collapse, often blending survivalist tactics with far-right ideology rooted in Nazi-era beliefs.

🇫🇷 France Blocks Itself

Protesters across France blocked highways, torched barricades, and clashed with riot police on September 10 in a coordinated push against President Emmanuel Macron’s planned budget cuts.

  • Scale: Nearly 200,000 people joined demonstrations in cities from Paris to Nantes, with over 300 arrests nationwide and 200 in the capital alone.

  • Force: Authorities deployed 80,000 security personnel, using teargas and water cannons to dismantle blockades and disperse crowds.

  • Trigger: The unrest erupted after Macron appointed Sebastien Lecornu as prime minister the same day parliament ousted his predecessor over unpopular austerity plans.

  • Grievance: Protesters denounced 44 billion euros in proposed spending cuts, calling the political elite "dysfunctional" and demanding Macron’s resignation.

  • Demographics: Unlike the 2018–2019 Yellow Vest movement, this wave drew heavily from students and young activists pushing for systemic change and social justice.

📌 Context: France faces a budget deficit nearly double the EU’s 3% limit and debt at 114% of GDP, fueling public anger over austerity measures and widening generational divides in political activism.

🇷🇺 Putin Demands Ukrainian Land

Russia is pressing to claim about 6,000 square kilometers of Ukrainian territory in ongoing settlement talks, according to US Vice President JD Vance. Ukraine is countering with demands for binding security guarantees before agreeing to any deal.

  • Figure: Vance said the disputed land is territory that Russia has not yet taken by force, but now wants through negotiation.

  • Date: The comments came on Wednesday, September 10, during discussions narrowing to a few core issues between the two sides.

  • Demand: Moscow is focused on securing control over parts of eastern Ukraine, including areas in the Donbas region.

  • Assurance: Kyiv is seeking commitments from European states or other allies to prevent future Russian territorial pushes after any agreement.

  • History: Since invading in February 2022, Russia has annexed four Ukrainian territories after holding elections widely dismissed as illegitimate.

🇺🇸 UNITED STATES
Charlie Kirk Assassinated at 31

Charlie Kirk (1993-2025)

Conservative activist Charlie Kirk was shot in the neck while speaking at Utah Valley University, later dying in the hospital. Utah’s governor is calling it a political assassination.

Before I get into the wild opinions flooding the internet, here’s a quick rundown of what went down. If you know all this already, feel free to skip to the next divider.👇🏼

(Today’s writing may be a bit messier than usual, as I’m trying to capture the online responses and the unfolding of events as I witnessed them in real time)

The Shooting

Moments before he was assassinated.
I have chosen not to link any videos of the event and strongly discourage you from seeking them. If you feel you must, please proceed with extreme caution.

It started as a campus speaking event and ended in a national political crisis.

  • On Wednesday, September 10, 2025, at about 12:20 p.m. local time, Kirk was speaking under a white tent at Utah Valley University in Orem when a single bullet struck him in the neck.

    • As a result, blood poured from his neck, and footage of him being carried away shows no blood spilling out—leading many to believe he had already lost too much blood by that time.

    • Ironically, Kirk was in the middle of a gun violence debate with someone who opposed his views.

  • University officials say the shot came from roughly 200 yards away, possibly from a nearby building.

  • He was immediately evacuated by his security team and taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

Immediate Fallout

The killing triggered a wave of official statements and symbolic gestures.

  • President Donald Trump confirmed Kirk’s death on Truth Social and ordered all US flags flown at half-staff until Sunday evening.

  • Utah Governor Spencer Cox labeled it "a political assassination" and reminded the public that Utah still has the death penalty.

  • Former Presidents Obama, Biden, Bush, and Clinton all issued statements condemning political violence and offering condolences to Kirk’s wife Erika, and their two young children.

  • European leaders, including Boris Johnson, Nigel Farage, Giorgia Meloni, and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer called it a dark day for democracy and free speech.

Law Enforcement Response

Authorities moved quickly, but the investigation is still unfolding.

  • FBI Director Kash Patel announced that a person of interest was in custody, thanking local and state partners. However, just about an hour ago, he announced that they let the "subject in custody" go. Of course, he’s getting bashed in the comments for it.

  • Homeland Security Investigations sent agents to assist, and police went building to building on campus to evacuate students and staff.

  • Utah Valley University canceled classes and closed campus until further notice.

Watching Live

I watched the entire event unfold live, and I was stunned by what I saw.

  • First came the horrific assassination footage. It was so shockingly graphic that many, myself included, assumed it had to be AI-generated at first.

  • Then came the reaction. Waves of cheering on social media, along with dismissive responses and deflections from Democratic politicians and mainstream outlets.

Mainstream

Click for video
Here's a Matthew Dowd on MSNBC saying, after all the videos that have been circulating online showing the gruesome assassination, that "We don't know if this was a supporter shooting their gun off in celebration."

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CNN misspells Charlie Kirk’s name as "CHARLIE COOK."

Click for video
Here's another one of Dowd essentially saying that Kirk had it coming, saying, "You can’t stop with these awful thoughts you have and then saying these awful words and then not expect awful actions to take place."

Click for video
Here’s Katy Tur fearmongering that the Trump administration might "use this as a justification for something," to which her guest admits, "I am at a loss to guess as to what happens next."

Blaming Trump

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Here’s Illinois Governor JB Pritzker pointing to January 6, accusing Trump of fueling political violence and framing today’s shooting as a consequence of that.

Celebrating

Shooter?

Click for video
Immediately after the shooting, an elderly man named George Hodgson Zinn was taken into custody. Footage of his arrest quickly spread, leading many to assume he was the shooter. It was later confirmed that he was not.

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Soon, videos of a man on top of the Losee Center at the university started circulating.

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Here, you can see a person clearly running away after the shot was fired.

Here's a map showing the possible location where the shooter could have been.

Another Suspect?

At one point, this account (@NajraGalvz) was flagged as a potential shooter. The user’s X bio described themself as the "nonbinary goat of all time," though they have since changed their handle.

Click for post
After the account was flagged, they started protecting their posts on X.

This photo is also being shared by people who claim it once appeared when their handle was searched on Google Images.

Closing

Now that the correct suspect is in custody, hopefully we will find out more about this soon. Now, I will close this piece of writing with the following:

Kirk’s Legacy

For supporters, Kirk was more than a commentator.

  • He founded Turning Point USA in 2012 to promote conservative activism on high school and college campuses, later expanding into faith-based outreach through TPUSA Faith.

  • He hosted a nationally syndicated radio show and one of the top conservative podcasts.

  • Married to former Miss Arizona USA Erika Frantzve since 2021, he leaves behind a 3-year-old daughter and a 1-year-old son.