Unraveling Links Between Left-Wing Group and Foreign Governments Amid Charlie Kirk’s Assassination
Reports indicate that a radical left-wing group, currently under scrutiny for the murder of Turning Point USA founder, Charlie Kirk, may be linked to activist circles that have associations with the governments in China and Cuba. Speculations are ripe that law enforcement agencies at the federal level are closely examining various groups in Utah and across online platforms to ascertain if they were privy to information about the assassination plans, which was carried out on September 10 in Orem. Allegedly, the founding member of the group named ‘Armed Queers Salt Lake City’, Ermiya Fanaeian, has previously visited Cuba under a pro-Communist initiative, and boasts a work history with a socialist activist group that supports China, as gathered from news sources and recovered website archives.
In an unforeseen turn of events after Kirk’s death, ‘Armed Queers SLC’, along with Fanaeian and his alma mater, University of Utah, decided to withdraw or conceal all digital content and social media profiles that could connect them to Fanaeian or the organization. Tyler Robinson, a 22-year-old, is accused of getting on a building’s roof and fatally attacking Kirk during an event organized by Turning Point USA at Utah Valley University (UVU). He was supposedly motivated by a deep-seated opposition to Kirk’s political views, as mentioned by the authorities on Tuesday.
Robinson’s relatives suggested to the authorities that he had recently started to lean more towards left-wing ideologies, a paradigm shift that stood in contrast to his father’s values. Interestingly, he was reported to be in a relationship with a transgender roommate. As part of the ongoing investigations, the FBI is also scrutinizing Robinson’s past digital footprint, elements of a chatroom he was a part of, and the people in his immediate circle who could potentially have had a foreknowledge of his intentions.
In the face of all these allegations, there has been no evidence as of now that outlines a direct link between Robinson, his roommate, and Armed Queers SLC. Fanaeian, who identifies as a transgender, is said to have separated from Pink Pistols to establish Armed Queers SLC in 2021, a fact confirmed by Pink Pistols in their statement addressing Kirk’s assassination.
The group Armed Queers SLC has its name listed in the member organizations of the National Network on Cuba (NNOC), an entity based out of the U.S that facilitates trips to Cuba for American citizens through their program named May Day Brigade. The organization of this Brigade is managed in collaboration with the Cuban Institute of Friendship with the Peoples (ICAP). This was an establishment set up by Fidel Castro, the late Cuban dictator, to further his communist propaganda, as cited in a 2012 report by the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA).
Observing the involvement of Armed Queers SLC with the NNOC, Kyle Shideler, a senior analyst at the Center for Security Policy, gave a heads up to the U.S. State Department and intelligence agencies for an investigation into the operations of the May Day Brigade. Shideler has an established reputation of advising high-ranking government officials on homeland security issues.
He speculated that given the relatively prevalent Republican inclinations in Utah, it is not shocking to find a few recurring faces in far-left blood streams, given the limited pool of individuals likely to be drawn towards their ideology.
PSL is also reportedly linked to celebrating Mao Zedong, the infamous dictator attributed to the creation of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). They allegedly denied the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre in China, parroting the CCP’s own propaganda. This has raised concerns within Congress over whether the activist allies, including Singham, have been involved in unlawful foreign lobbying strategies for China.
Based on observations from Shideler, left-wing groups promoting the use of firearms seem to be on the rise. Armed Queers SLC, under inspection for approximately three years, is claimed to be dedicated to the ‘militant protection of oppressed individuals’, dismantling the incarceration system, and facilitating the establishment of a socialist society, among other objectives, as mentioned in an online membership form.
Involvement in armed Antifa squads or armed protests appears to be a common thread in relation to far-left onslaughts. One such instance is the July 4 ambush in an immigration detention center in Alvarado, Texas, leading to multiple arrests.
Among the apprehended, the alleged mastermind was Benjamin Song, previously associated with the left-wing John Brown Gun Club at Elm Fork. This gun club regularly presents itself in black outfits, brandishing rifles for the purposes of protection at local LGBTQ events or while expressing opposition against conservative speakers.
The group Armed Queers SLC reflects the typical nature of such armed anti-fascist defense groups which appear to be increasingly common within the radical left.