The European Parliament refused to observe a minute of silence on Thursday after the death of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, citing a procedural rule, provoking anger from the legislative body’s right-wing lawmakers.
Charlie Weimers, a Swedish member of the European Parliament, made the request during Thursday’s plenary session in Strasbourg, France.
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“We must strongly condemn political violence and rhetoric that incites violence,” Weimers said on the floor. “Will you stand with me in reflection of prayer in his honor? And I yield the rest of my time for a moment of silence.”
Katarina Barley, one of the body’s vice presidents, intervened. She said the request was not approved by European Parliament President Roberta Metsola because the plenary session was already underway. Conservative lawmakers quickly erupted in pandemonium, shouting and banging their tables in protest.
The request had to be filed by the opening of the plenary session on Monday, two days before the assassination.
“Minutes of silence are announced by the president at the opening of the plenary,” a spokesperson for Metsola told Politico. “If there is a request for a minute of silence, the request must come from a political group to be held at the opening of the session. If there is a request, it can of course be done in October.”
The legislative body’s next session is scheduled for Oct. 6 to 9. By then, it will have been nearly a month since Kirk’s death.
Notably, the European Parliament held a moment of silence for the death of George Floyd in June 2020. The Alternative for Germany political party pointed this out on social media.
“For the criminal George Floyd, there was a minute of silence in the EU Parliament on June 17, 2020,” the AfD said in a post. “For Charlie Kirk, who was killed yesterday, it is being prevented by SPD Parliament President Barley.”
That particular plenary session started on the same day that the moment of silence for Floyd was held.
Dominik Tarczyński, a Polish member of parliament, criticized European leadership for denying a minute of silence in Kirk’s memory.
“The left, calling themselves democrats, naturally refused,” he wrote. “They are the same everywhere. Even in the face of death, they are incapable of showing human compassion. Therefore, I will organize an exhibition in the European Parliament commemorating Charlie Kirk. His legacy will bear fruit.”
Kirk was shot in the neck at a Utah university event on Wednesday. He was pronounced dead at the hospital, where he reportedly received blood transfusions. His death sparked an outpouring of grief and anger, including from President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance. Both knew Kirk well.
FBI RELEASES PHOTO OF ‘PERSON OF INTEREST’ IN CHARLIE KIRK ASSASSINATION
The gunman escaped immediately following the shooting, but a rifle was recovered by authorities. The FBI is working to identify the person of interest, with the bureau’s Salt Lake City field office asking the public to send tips with any information concerning the person’s identity.
The manhunt remains active.