More than 600 Americans have been fired, suspended, or investigated for their social media reactions to the assassination of far-right activist Charlie Kirk in September 2025. Many of those affected are now taking legal action, arguing that their employers violated their right to free speech. A website called Charlie Kirk's Murderers collated names and personal information of alleged offenders, prompting complaints to workplaces.
Among those who lost their jobs is Julie Strebe, a 55-year-old sheriff's deputy from Salem, Missouri. Days after Kirk was shot by a sniper, Strebe posted on Facebook: 'Empathy is not owed to oppressors.' She also called Kirk racist, sexist, antisemitic, and homophobic. Following a backlash, she was suspended and later fired. Strebe says her superiors cited a history of controversial posts, but the only example they offered was a ten-year-old complaint about roadworks.
Strebe's husband's business was also targeted, and the family faced harassment including a sign left outside their home. She is now preparing to leave the town where she has lived for 20 years. 'This is everything I've ever done in my adult life, and they took it from me,' she said. The Dent County Sheriff's Office declined to comment, citing legal restrictions.
The reaction to Kirk's killing has been described as an ideological purge. Many of those punished had simply quoted Kirk's own words, such as his defence of high gun death tolls as acceptable for preserving Second Amendment rights. Strebe and others are now suing, claiming their termination violated free speech protections. 'They screwed me because of the mob mentality,' Strebe said.
