Neo-Nazis are using Charlie Kirk’s death as a ‘rallying cry’ to recruit new members

The assassination of far-right commentator Charlie Kirk is being used by neo-fascist “active clubs” to recruit new members across the United States. These groups, which authorities see as a “pernicious domestic terrorism threat,” have capitalized on Kirk’s death to lure in new members with promises of vengeance and a sense of racist camaraderie.

These so-called “active clubs” are essentially loose collections of neo-Nazi mixed martial arts groups that gather in gyms and parks to train, often tapping into existing white nationalist gangs or similar organizations, per The Guardian. The fact that these groups are so quickly and effectively exploiting Kirk’s death despite everyone knowing the suspected killer not really fitting their racist narrative and the fact that his father was a follower of MAGA.

According to Joshua Fisher-Birch, an analyst who studies the far right, “Active clubs are exploiting the assassination of Charlie Kirk for recruitment purposes, specifically urging white men to join the movement.” The sentiment on their social media accounts seems to be that the current political climate is a perfect time to expand their reach, with some posts claiming that “regular people are receptive to their ‘radical message’.”

Charlie Kirk’s death has somehow stirred the worst kind of movements

Heidi Beirich, another expert on American white supremacists and the executive vice-president of Global Project Against Hate and Extremism (GPAHE), agrees with that assessment. She noted that “Kirk’s assassination has become a rallying cry for some of the most extreme elements in the US, meaning neo-Nazis and white supremacists.” To be fair, she also thinks we will likely “see more of these pro-Kirk protests by extremists in the coming days.” It’s definitely a worrying trend that groups like this are able to organize and grow so openly.

Active clubs, much like other extremist groups, immediately jumped on Kirk’s murder as proof of an “anti-White” and leftwing oppression campaign. Some have even suggested that the killing was carried out by an individual in a romantic relationship with a transgender person—a frequent target of far-right scorn. You’ve probably seen some of the hateful memes and posts that have been circulating.

One neo-Nazi Telegram account linked to these clubs posted a truly awful message, writing: “You should watch the video of the blood gushing from his lifeless corpse when you make excuses not to join a nationalist org or when you skip the gym.” Another meme spread by the same account shows a photo of Kirk holding a child with blood splatters in the background and the slogan: “The time for debating liberals is over.” It’s clear they’re not holding back on their rhetoric.

Also, keep in mind, Kirk was not a supporter of any nazi-type movement. Several of these groups have acknowledged in social media posts that Kirk wasn’t a friend. They even called him an “accused agent of the Israeli government.”

On the other hand, they also admitted that his work helped spread far-right ideas to the general public, and they don’t think his “promotion of white supremacy should not go unappreciated.” It’s a weird kind of backhanded compliment and shows how people are using his death for their own personal gain.