By Liam Buckler

Copyright mirror

The assassination of Conservative activist Charlie Kirk is “more significant than Donald Trump’s”, an expert has warned. The 31-year-old pundit, who was a fervent supporter of the US president, was killed on Wednesday at a Utah college event in what was called a “political assassination.” The killer remains at large. Trump announced Kirk’s death on social media and praised the political activist as “Great, and even legendary”. He later recorded a video from the White House calling Kirk a “martyr for truth and freedom”. He blamed the rhetoric of the “radical left” for the killing. The 79-year-old was also the subject of an assassination attempt last year in Butler, Pennsylvania, when a gunman unleashed bullets at a campaign rally, grazing his ear and killing one of his supporters in the crowd. The infamous picture of Trump standing, with blood streaked across his face, as he raised his fist and shouted ‘fight!’ became the image of the campaign. It helped rally his supporters and change his fortunes. And now, following the death of Trump supporter Kirk, the “far-right will be mobilised” by the assassination, according to Natasha Lindstaedt, Professor of Government at the University of Essex. She exclusively told The Mirror : “It’s significant that a major figure of the far right has been assassinated. He was the leading grassroots organisers for young people for the Trump campaign, and was very close to Trump personally. It’s another sign of the erosion of civility and tolerance in American politics, and shows the dangers of political polarisation. “The US is a country that is not only violent and polarised but heavily armed. There are concerns that violence will beget more violence, and that we are on the precipice of something bigger. A lot depends on how the right reacts. “Trump has already shown that he is angry, and others from the base, including Fox News Hosts are calling for revenge. What this may look like is hard to predict, but it could include more mass arrests, incendiary language, promotion of violence against political opponents, or the dehumanisation of political opponents, and possibly more tit for tat style violence. “On the anniversary of 9/11 Trump will go to NY. He should respond with a speech focusing on unity and calm, but he is more likely to place blame on the “radical left” and “fake news” or “left-wing media.” “It’s not clear what the repercussions will be, as there is currently a manhunt. Some of it depends on who the perpetrator of this was as he will likely face the death penalty, and if this was a case of right on right violence or someone from the left. “Given that they were able to shoot Kirk from a long range with such precision, there will be an investigation as to how this was possible with a single shooter, and there will be, and have been, conspiracy theorists floating the idea that the Democrats orchestrated this and should be avenged. “The Democrats have denounced this, but as this was an incredibly important figure in the far right movement, which puts the Democrats in a precarious situation, and really a cause for concern for all public figures who go on speaking tours. “Because Kirk did not survive, this is even more significant in some ways than the assassination attempts on Trump. Most likely Kirk will be martyred by the far right in some way. The far right will be completely mobilised by this, as they were with Trump’s assassination attempts.”