Nothing More frontman Jonny Hawkins has landed in controversy after sharing a series of Instagram slides about conservative commentator Charlie Kirk, who was assassinated on September 10 while speaking at Utah Valley University.
In the five slide post, Hawkins paid respects to Kirk’s family and called him a “martyr” before concluding with the statement: “Time to bring public executions back.”
The slides read in full:
- “They just created a martyr.”
- “RIP Charlie. Agree or disagree, you stood for what you believed. They just created a martyr.”
- “My heart goes out to Charlie Kirk’s family and friends.”
- “Charlie Kirk never lived by the sword. He lived by free debate and open discussion. Words not violence. The gaslighting, projection, and mental delusion is over. We are sick of it. To all my strong, but silent fellow Americans. Have you had enough? Are you angry enough?”
- “Time to bring public executions back.”
In the caption, Hawkins expanded: “RIP Charlie. Agree or Disagree on any issue, you seemed like a good person at heart and someone who stood for what they believed in… You will go down in history as someone who stood on moral and principles to the very end.” He finished with hashtags including #Valhalla, #CharlieKirk, and #Martyr.
The remark about executions echoes Kirk’s own words earlier this year, when he told Turning Point USA’s YouTube audience that the death penalty should be “public, quick, and televised.”
Hawkins doubled down a day later, claiming the post was meant to “prune” his fanbase: “Like a gardener cutting off dead branches… for every 1 twisted soul I lose, I gain 2 more honorable souls. It’s so clear to me who the good and the bad are now. I’ve never had more moral clarity than right now.”
Charlie Kirk co-founded Turning Point USA and was a familiar face on the conservative lecture circuit. His accused shooter, Tyler Robinson, was taken into custody after being reported by his father. The bullets used in the attack contained bizarre engravings referencing anti fascist slogans, meme language, and even a Helldivers 2 button sequence, adding another layer of speculation to the investigation.
