Supporters of slain US activist shut down critics

WASHINGTON

For some Americans on the far right, Charlie Kirk died a "martyr" and any criticism of the hugely popular conservative activist must be punished.

Online vitriol and grassroots persecution have exploded in the wake of the assassination of the 31-year-old who had been an electrifying presence on the U.S. right, with the killing further deepening fraught political divisions in the country.

Laura Sosh-Lightsy, assistant dean of students at a university in the southern state of Tennessee, found herself in hot water after posting on social media about Kirk's death.

"Hate begets hate. ZERO sympathy," she said on Facebook after the killing, which happened on Sept. 10 in front of a large crowd at a university in Utah.

Republican U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn quickly called out the comment, and Sosh-Lightsy.

"This person should be ashamed of her post. She should be removed from her position," the Tennessee lawmaker said.

Middle Tennessee State University's president announced that same night an employee's firing for a "callous" comment about Kirk.

Kirk, who rallied his millions of followers to help President Donald Trump win a second White House term, was both revered and reviled for his pro-gun, anti-abortion and anti-immigrant rhetoric.

Shooting suspect Tyler Robinson, who was arrested on Sept. 11, is said to have engraved anti-fascist messages on his bullet casings. This has led to a large part of the American right labeling him a "far-left" killer.

Some Kirk supporters have turned into online sleuths, searching out accounts that praised or celebrated Kirk's murder.

"If they have their picture on their profile, even without a name, download the picture and reverse image search it," conservative influencer Joey Mannarino said.

"Cross-reference it with their LinkedIn profile and find their place of employment. Call the place of employment, leave Google reviews."

These efforts have targeted teachers, firefighters and even military personnel, some of whom have lost their jobs.