Polish Member of the European Parliament (MEP) Dominik Tarczyński called for a moment of silence on Thursday to honor Charlie Kirk, the 31-year-old founder of Turning Point USA who was assassinated in Utah the prior day, but the request was denied by a leftist leader. Lawmakers erupted in protest, shouting and slamming on their desks to drown her out.
“Foreign Madam President, dear colleagues, the murder of political activist Charlie Kirk, a husband, loving father, and patriot, has shocked the world. We must strongly condemn political violence and rhetoric that incites violence. Please, stand with me in reflection and prayer in his honor, and I yield the rest of my time for a moment of silence,” Tarczyński told the floor.
The presiding chair refused the request, prompting members in the chamber to shout and pound on their desks in protest. Video from the exchange shows the uproar continuing as the chair attempted to move the session forward.
Tarczyński later published a statement on X, writing: “As conservatives, we requested a minute of silence in the European Parliament to honor Charlie Kirk. The left, calling themselves democrats, naturally refused. They are the same everywhere… Even in the face of death, they are incapable of showing human compassion. Therefore, I will organize an exhibition in the European Parliament commemorating Charlie Kirk. His legacy will bear fruit…”
A similar confrontation unfolded in Washington, where a shouting match erupted in the U.S. House of Representatives on Wednesday after some members objected to Rep. Lauren Boebert’s (R-CO) call for a spoken prayer during a moment of silence for Kirk. Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) eventually restored order.
Charlie Kirk was shot and killed while speaking at Utah Valley University on Wednesday. President Donald Trump confirmed Kirk’s death in a Truth Social post, ordering flags across the United States to be flown at half-staff through Sunday. Kirk is survived by his wife Erika and their two young children.
The assassination has triggered international condemnation. European and world leaders issued tributes to Kirk, describing him as a significant voice in conservative politics and free speech advocacy. Reform UK leader Nigel Farage, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu were among those who expressed condolences and called his killing a blow to democracy. Argentine President Javier Milei honored him as “a formidable spreader of the ideas of liberty and staunch defender of the West,” while leaders in Spain and Latin America organized vigils and statements of support.
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