Kentucky’s two largest universities are under scrutiny after incidents involving controversial political speech related to the killing of the popular right-wing influencer Charlie Kirk.
A photograph of a poster displayed at the University of Louisville depicting a caricature of Kirk gained significant traction on social media and has caught the attention of some Louisville officials.
And at the University of Kentucky, an employee is under investigation for a comment he posted on social media that university officials called “insensitive” and “wrong.”
Kirk, 31, was shot and killed while speaking at Utah Valley University Sept. 10.
He cultivated a national platform over the years as a conservative debater and as the founder of Turning Point USA, an organization that pushes for conservative politics on high school and college campuses. He had also positioned himself as an ally to President Donald Trump, who has sung his praises and publicly mourned his death.
Here’s what to know about the situations at U of L and UK:
University of Louisville posters spark outrage
Posters showing a bloody illustration of Kirk as a bullet pierces his neck — accompanied by the words, “Debate this” — were spotted on U of L’s campus Sept. 11, university spokesperson John Karman confirmed to The Courier Journal.
The University of Louisville Police Department has removed the posters, and officials are investigating the incident, Karman said.
A social media post that included a photo of the poster has circulated online, amassing more than 2.4 million views on X as of Sept. 12 and angering users who say the message is insensitive.
Metro Councilman Anthony Piagentini is one of the individuals who disapproves of the message. He initially commented on the situation in a social media post late Sept. 11, saying he would contact U of L President Gerry Bradley.
In an update Piagentini shared shortly afterward, he called for the person responsible to face punishment.
“UofL has removed the signs and are pulling video to track down the person. If they are a student I would expect nothing less than expulsion,” he wrote.
In an interview, Piagentini said the poster insinuates violence toward people with opinions that differ. He said he is concerned the posters could have a chilling effect on speech in an environment designed to foster open discussion.
“I think what they’re clearly sending is the signal that if you’re coming to the University of Louisville to espouse opinions that they disagree with, this could be the result,” he said. “Those posters represent a chilling threat to people who want to debate openly at the University of Louisville.”
University of Kentucky employee placed on leave pending investigation
At UK, employee Brad Van Hook is under fire for a comment he allegedly left under a news organization’s Facebook post sharing the news of Kirk’s death.
The comment, which spread after a social media account called “Libs of TikTok” condemned it, referenced a quote by the famed lawyer Clarence Darrow.
“I have never wished a man dead, but I have read some obituaries with great satisfaction,” Van Hook wrote, according to a screenshot of the original post.
“He is on administrative leave with pay, pending an investigation,” UK spokesperson Jay Blanton said in a statement. “The statement attributed to him — no matter who made it and what their affiliation is — does not reflect who we are as a community. It is cruel. It is insensitive and it is wrong.”
The “Libs of TikTok” account has made several posts in recent days exposing people who expressed negative sentiments toward Kirk following his killing.
The post about Van Hook misidentified him as an Eastern Kentucky University employee. EKU officials cleared up the confusion in a social media post Sept. 10.
“In the wake of today’s tragic shooting at Utah Valley University, a false social media post began circulating stating that Brad Van Hook, who made a comment regarding the victim, is an employee of Eastern Kentucky University. Van Hook is not, and has not ever been, an employee of EKU. We appreciate your help in correcting this false narrative that is quickly circulating on social media,” EKU officials said.
Blanton did not offer any additional details, as the situation remains “under review.”
More: ‘I’ve never been more motivated’: Nate Morris on Charlie Kirk, a friend and political ally
Contact reporter Killian Baarlaer at kbaarlaer@gannett.com or @bkillian72 on X.
This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: UofL, UK scrutinized for Charlie Kirk-related poster, comment