Members of the European Parliament rejected a request on Thursday to hold a moment of silence for Charlie Kirk, the 31-year-old conservative activist who was shot dead Wednesday while speaking at Utah Valley University.Swedish MEP Charlie Weimers, from the European Conservatives and Reformists group, asked the chamber to pause proceedings to “declare that our right to freedom of speech cannot be extinguished,” quoted Euro News.The request was supported by lawmakers from Germany’s AfD and France’s Identity Liberties movement.However, European Parliament president Roberta Metsola denied the request, citing procedural rules that require tributes to be formally submitted at the opening of a plenary session. Since Monday’s session had already passed, she said a tribute could be scheduled in October.
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When Weimers gave up his remaining speaking time to call for a moment of silence, Vice president Katarina Barley interrupted him, prompting protests from right-wing MEPs.Barley said, “We have discussed this, and you know the president said no to a minute of silence,” while centrist and left-leaning members clapped.
Outside the chamber, Hungarian MEP András László criticised the parliament, noting it had previously honoured George Floyd but refused Kirk.Some lawmakers also shared “I am Charlie” posts online, echoing the slogan from the 2015 Charlie Hebdo attack.Metsola further defended the decision as following parliamentary rules and offered condolences. “Our thoughts and prayers are with his wife and young children, who were the bedrock of his life,” she said.
