Global Rock Band Coldplay Mentions Kirk During Concert
Political Conflict Continues Over Mourning of Kirk's Death
Firings and Disciplinary Actions Follow Mockery and Disparagement of Kirk's Passing
The division over the mourning of recently killed American right-wing activist Charlie Kirk is intensifying. Chris Martin, the lead vocalist of Coldplay, and actor Chris Pratt, among others, have publicly expressed their condolences, becoming the center of controversy. The situation has escalated further as some workers who mocked or disparaged Charlie Kirk's death have been dismissed from their jobs.
The division over the mourning of recently killed American right-wing activist Charlie Kirk is intensifying. Chris Martin, the lead vocalist of Coldplay, and actor Chris Pratt, among others, have publicly expressed their condolences, becoming the center of controversy. Photo by AP Yonhap News
On September 14 (local time), American music outlets Rolling Stone and Variety reported that Chris Martin, during the finale of the "Music of the Spheres" world tour at Wembley Stadium in London, said, "Let's send our love to Charlie Kirk's family," and added, "Let's raise our hands and send love to wherever in the world we want to send it."
According to the reports, Chris Martin stated during the concert, "You can send love to Charlie Kirk's family, or to anyone's family. You can send love even to those you disagree with," and appealed, "You can send love to anywhere you think needs it, whether it's the Middle East, Ukraine, Russia, Azerbaijan, Sudan, or London." He made it clear that while he was mourning Kirk's death, he did not agree with his ideology.
This was also a response to Kirk's criticism of Coldplay's concerts during his lifetime. Previously, around July, Kirk had criticized Coldplay on YouTube. Referring to the global controversy sparked when a video shown during a Coldplay concert's "Kiss Cam" segment captured Andy Byron Astronomer CEO's affair, Kirk commented, "I'd rather die than go to a Coldplay concert. I can't think of anything more boring, trite, or wasteful of time. But that's fine. It's a free society, so you can do whatever you want."
Debate Erupts Among Netizens Over Martin's Remarks
As Martin's comments spread across social media, heated debate has broken out among fans and netizens. Some have criticized, saying, "Without a hint of controversy, Coldplay is throwing away their career for Charlie Kirk," and, "Do people supporting a white supremacist and his family have the right to speak out publicly?" On the other hand, some netizens argued, "Can't you even express condolences to a family?" and, "By defending Kirk, who criticized his concert, Martin spread compassion and love."
Chris Martin is not the only celebrity to face criticism for publicly expressing condolences over Kirk's death. Chris Pratt, known for the "Guardians of the Galaxy" film series, posted on his social media, "Praying for Charlie Kirk, his wife, his young children, and for our country," only to be met with backlash such as, "I hope you get fired from Marvel," and, "I won't watch any movies you appear in."
Meanwhile, the controversy surrounding the mourning of Kirk is spreading not only in the United States but also globally. According to AP, "Within days of Kirk's death, teachers, public officials, Office Depot employees, and TV experts have been fired or disciplined as part of a campaign led by conservative public figures and others, and further dismissals are expected." On September 13, Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy stated on X that American Airlines had removed pilots from flights after they made comments celebrating Kirk's assassination, calling the behavior "disgusting" and insisting, "They must be fired." In Korea, celebrities such as Choi Siwon and Jin Seoyeon also faced criticism from netizens after posting messages mourning Kirk's death on social media.
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