Experts warn of “vicious spiral” in political violence after Kirk killing
John Shiffman, Ned Parker and Linda So
(Reuters) -Sir wing -impressive assassination Charlie Kirk points to a basin moment in the US increase in political violence, and she is afraid that some experts will exacerbate a broken country and inspire more unrest.
Mike Jensen, a researcher from the University of Maryland, said, Mike Jensen, who has been following such a violence in a terrorism database since 1970, said, “This activity is terrible, worry, but not surprising.”
Jensen said that the US had a motivated attack that has been motivated by about 150 politics in the first six months of the year. “I think we are at a very dangerous point right now, which can easily rise to a more widespread civil unrest if we do not do this,” Jensen said. “This can definitely serve as a kind of shine point that inspires more.”
Domestic terrorism experts refer to the convergence of factors for the increase in violence in the United States: economic insecurity, racial and ethnic demographic characteristics, and increasing political discourse tone. Traditional ideological divisions – once focused on policy disagreements – turned into deeper, more personal hostility. This anger is strengthened by a mixture of social media, conspiracy theories and personal complaints.
Reuters, between January 6, 2021 in the United States at least 300 political violence, Capitol and the 2024 Presidential elections attack, the 1970s since the 1970s have marked the most important and continuous increase in such violence.
“Extreme political violence becomes increasingly norm in our country, and Charlie Kirk’s attraction is an indicator of a much larger and more common problem: violence is becoming more common even without a clear ideology or motivation, Jon said Jon Lewis, a research assistant in the extremist program at the University of George Washington.
“There is really a concern about how the return of such a thing will look.”
Political violence accepted other experts. “People are reluctant to enter violence first, but they are much more eager to participate in violence as retaliation, L Mason, a professor of political science at Johns Hopkins University, said. “Nobody wants to be the person to start him, but many people want to finish it.”
US President Donald Trump’s close ally and conservative student group Turning Point, the founder of the United States Kirk, appealed to an open -air crowd at Utah Valley University at Utah Valley University, and sent him in panic.
Authorities, about six hours after the shooting until Wednesday evening had not yet announced a suspect to the public. FBI Director Kash Patel said an anonymous “issue” was detained for inquiry and was later released.
31 -year -old Kirk is the pioneer of the conservative movement and used the power to draw millions of young Americans into the base of Trump.
In a social media article that explains the death of Kirk, Trump said, “Nobody understood or had no better understanding of the hearts of young people in the United States than Charlie.”
“Vicious Spiral”
Trump was the subject of two assassination attempts last year. First, the shooter was killed by the authorities after shooting. On the other hand, a man was arrested near a Palm Beach Golf Club starring Trump. The hearing started this week.
In addition, the last two high -profile attacks of right -wing conspiracy theorists this year shook deputies and state employees throughout the country. In June, he killed a Christian nationalist senior democratic state deputy and his husband in Minnesota and wounded a second Democrat. In August, an armed man obsessed with Covid-19 conspiracies killed a police officer in the centers of Disease Control and Prevention Centers in Atlanta.
Since January, at least 21 people were killed by a jihadist who claimed loyalty to the Islamic State group at the beginning of the New Year’s day in a car bomb attack in New Orleans.
In May, a pro -Palestinian activist killed two Israeli Embassy in Washington, and after being arrested according to the court documents, he said to the police, “I did it for Gaza.”
The Ministry of Justice said that at least 11 militants group of black military -style clothes attacked an immigrant detention center in Texas. The group launched fireworks on vehicles, shot a spray -painted “treacherous” and “ice bent” and a police officer who responded to the neck, wounded him, another spray guard fire.
Since he returned to the office, Trump has reduced his efforts to resist inner extremism, to direct resources to immigration, and to show the southern border as the highest -level security threat.
Maryland University researcher Jensen, who followed violence for the national consortium for terrorism and response to terrorism, said the future looks terrible.
“This is a management that makes deep changes in this country in eight months, even if you agree,” he said. “Some people love him, some people hate it. People who hate him begin to take action. People who love him will act against people who hate him, and become a vicious spiral that can really lead us to something really bad.”
(Additional reporting by Peter Eisler. Editing by Jason Szep)
