Republican Rep. Clay Higgins of Louisiana is calling for sweeping lifetime social media bans targeting anyone who mocked or celebrated the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. Higgins vowed to use his congressional authority to pressure major tech companies into enforcing strict punishments. His proposal has reignited debates over free speech, censorship, and the boundaries of political expression online.
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Higgins Announces Crackdown
On Thursday, Rep. Clay Higgins posted on X, formerly Twitter, announcing his intention to impose lifetime bans. “I’m going to use Congressional authority and every influence with big tech platforms to mandate immediate ban for life of every post or commenter that belittled the assassination of Charlie Kirk,” he declared.
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Harsh Words for Critics
In his message, Higgins condemned those he accused of celebrating Kirk’s killing. “If they ran their mouth with their smartass hatred celebrating the heinous murder of that beautiful young man… those profiles must come down,” he said, praising Kirk’s commitment to spreading conservative values with “a Bible and a microphone and a Constitution.”
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Calls for Zero Tolerance
The congressman insisted that platforms should show “zero tolerance” for users who mocked Kirk’s death. He added that offenders should be banned “from ALL PLATFORMS FOREVER,” making clear his expectation that penalties should extend across every major social media company.
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Extreme Penalties Proposed
Higgins went further than online bans, suggesting broader repercussions. “I’m also going after their business licenses and permitting, their businesses will be blacklisted aggressively, they should be kicked from every school, and their drivers licenses should be revoked,” he said. He described his plan as an effort to “cancel with extreme prejudice these evil, sick animals.”
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Kirk’s Own Views
Ironically, Charlie Kirk himself had previously spoken out against social media restrictions. Earlier this year, he said, “You should be allowed to say outrageous things,” criticizing platforms for suspending users over controversial remarks. His stance underscored a sharp contrast with Higgins’ proposed policies.
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Debate Over Free Speech
Higgins’ proposal has drawn strong reactions online, with critics pointing to constitutional concerns. Many argue that banning individuals for expressing even offensive opinions would erode First Amendment protections. Supporters of Higgins, however, contend that mocking or celebrating a murder should never be tolerated in public discourse.