Senior Reform Wales figure deletes Charlie Kirk social media post amid online backlash

Emily Price

Reform’s Regional Director for Wales has deleted a social media post about US conservative activist Charlie Kirk after receiving a backlash online.

On Tuesday (September 16), Torfaen Councillor David Thomas published a post to X saying he had walked out of a town council meeting in "disbelief" because there was no mention of the fatal shooting of Kirk.

The right-wing political activist and trusted Trump ally found fame as an avid public speaker touring liberal leaning US college campuses to promote conservative views.

The American podcaster made several controversial statements on issues such as gender, race, women's rights and gun control and often drew fierce criticism.

Kirk was gunned down on September 10 while addressing an audience at Utah Valley University - the first stop on his "American Comeback Tour" of college campuses.

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'Shameful'

Following Torfaen Borough Council's September meeting, which Cllr Thomas attended virtually, he published a post to X criticising councillors.

He wrote: "I’ve just walked out of Torfaen Councils full council meeting in absolutely disbelief.

"Not a single mention… not even a moments acknowledgement… of the horrific event involving Charlie Kirk.

"For a council that claims to stand for community, compassion and respect - their silence today was nothing short of shameful.

"Absolutely disgusting."

Labour Council Leader, Anthony Hunt, told the Local Democracy Reporting Service his thought’s were with Kirk’s family but said he "wasn’t sure there was a relevant place" to raise his death in the meeting.

Cllr Thomas' post went viral on social media, with X users questioning why a county borough council in Wales would discuss the murder of a US figure.

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'Faux outrage'

Some online commentators accused the 31-year-old of "faux outrage" and several Reform UK supporters called him out over the post.

One commentator said: "You walked out in disbelief? Completely out of your depth. You want flags taken down from council buildings, but when it suits you, wants councils to spend time discussing a US murder? Time to start the grown up work David."

Another said: "Bugger all to do with the council. Your job is to get the bins emptied."

Cllr Thomas' post was later replaced with an X notification which stated: "This post was deleted by the post author."

We asked Reform's campaign manager why he had removed his comments about Kirk from X.

Cllr Thomas did not respond to our question but later published a statement online claiming he had been hit with a "torrent of abuse and vile messages".

'Abuse'

In the statement, posted in the early hours of Friday morning - the Torfaen Councillor re-published the original post he had deleted hours before along with a screen grab of an offensive message sent to him by an anti-Trump X account with 21 followers.

Cllr Thomas wrote: "Since Tuesday, when I posted my tweet about the shocking lack of compassion in the council over the horrific assassination of Charlie Kirk, I’ve been hit with a torrent of abuse and vile messages from what I can only describe as the most despicable elements of the left.

"As expected, Welsh news media outlets and the usual social media suspects jumped straight on it, fanning the flames.

"The abuse didn’t bother me—I’m used to it. But the moment they dragged my parents into it and started hurling insults at them, I decided to take the tweet down from X.

"While I deleted it from X, it was never deleted from Facebook. Facebook is not quite as vile as this place so the words remain, and I stand by them.

"I was disappointed in myself for taking it down on X. I allowed these mindless, disgusting people to get the better of me.

"I regret nothing I said. I stand by every word. And I want everyone to see just how low and vile these people are. See screenshot of the abuse on one tweet!"

'Disgusting'

He added: "My tweet and what I said was about compassion and nothing more. So here it is again. Knock yourselves out! I will not be intimidated by any of you again.

"I’ve just walked out of @torfaencouncil full council meeting in absolute disbelief.

"Not a single mention… not even a moment’s acknowledgment… of the horrific event involving Charlie Kirk.

"For a council that claims to stand for community, compassion and respect — their silence today was nothing short of shameful. Absolutely disgusting."

The post received a further backlash, with one commentator saying: "I’m far from a lefty but it was far more disgusting that you tried to use the death of a prominent young man for your own engagement farming and publicity than it was that a council didn’t feel the need to demonstrably commemorate the death of a US civilian. You should be ashamed."

Another said: "That account has 21 followers and you arguably have just republished the allegations."

Another wrote: "Why do you think a welsh council should acknowledge the death of an American podcaster?

"If councils stopped to acknowledge the shooting of every American, nothing else would ever get done.

"Performative nonsense from a ltd company masquerading as a political party."

Cllr David Thomas was invited to comment but did not respond.