Meet the woke activists fired for mocking Charlie Kirk murder who are now laughing all the way to the bank after winning enormous free speech payouts

By EMMA RICHTER, US SENIOR NEWS REPORTER Published: 19:31, 2 June 2026 | Updated: 19:43, 2 June 2026 In the wake of Charlie Kirk's death, two very different reactions erupted across the US: mourning and celebration.  The conservative activist was fatally shot while speaking at a Turning Point USA (TPUSA) event at Utah Valley University on September 10, 2025.  Although Kirk, 31, was popular with Republicans, he was loathed by liberals who couldn't help but share their happiness when news broke that he died at the hands of suspected gunman, Tyler Robinson, 23.  As more details came out surrounding Kirk's assassination, so did news of people mocking his death online.  The posts quickly sparked fury across the nation, with more than 600 Americans getting fired from their jobs over their negative reactions to Kirk's murder, according to a November 2025 Reuters investigation.  The terminations then sparked a flurry of lawsuits, which all claimed their firings were in violation of their First Amendment rights.  A number of the legal filings, including one by a biologist and former cop, have resulted in eye-watering payouts, and even saw some people get their jobs back.  Here is a list of all the people who have been awarded settlements: The conservative activist was fatally shot while speaking at a Turning Point USA (TPUSA) event at Utah Valley University on September 10. His death sparked mourning and celebration across the US Brittany Brown, a former biologist with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (DWC), was awarded $485,000 from the agency after she was fired on September 15 Brittany Brown, a former biologist with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (DWC), was awarded $485,000 from the agency after she was fired on September 15.  Five days earlier, on the same day as Kirk's death, Brown shared a statement about the assassination from the account @awhalefact, which her wrongful termination lawsuit describes as 'a parody/satirical account that pretends to speak on behalf of a whale.' The post said: 'The whales are deeply saddened to learn of the shooting of Charlie Kirk, haha just kidding, they care exactly as much as Charlie Kirk cared about children being shot in their classrooms, which is to say, not at all.' On September 14, Libs of TikTok, a far-right group, shared a screenshot of Brown's post next to a screenshot of her LinkedIn profile and suggested she be fired from the FWC, the court document showed.  Hours later, the agency said it was aware of Brown's activity and 'did not condone nor tolerate this type of hateful sentiment.' Officials also said that Brown 'made light' of Kirk's death, adding: 'We have a zero-tolerance policy towards the promotion of violence and hate, and we will not stand for such behavior.'  Larry Bushart was handed an $850,000 settlement from Perry County, Texas, after he spent 37 days in jail on a $2 million bail over a meme he shared that made light of Kirk's death Bushart made this post underneath a post about the Kirk vigil. He quoted President Donald Trump, who said 'we have to get over it' in reference to a school shooting at Perry High School in Perry, Iowa. He was arrested because officials interpreted it as a threat against the local Perry County High School Larry Bushart was handed an $850,000 settlement from Perry County, Texas, after he spent 37 days in jail on a $2 million bail over a meme he shared that made light of Kirk's death.  The 61-year-old former police officer, of Lexington, Tennessee, shared a meme under a Facebook post promoting a candlelight vigil for Kirk in his area. At the time, many such events were happening across the country as people mourned the conservative activist. The meme Bushart shared quoted President Donald Trump, who said 'we have to get over it' the day after a January 2024 shooting at Perry High School in Perry, Iowa, that left a sixth-grader dead. Bushart then added his own comment to the post, stating, 'This seems relevant today...', referencing Kirk's death.  Bushart's lawsuit said he did not create the meme or add the text above it.  At the time, officials claimed that some residents were under the impression that Bushart was threatening violence against the local Perry County High School, a similarly-named, but separate school from the one in Iowa.  The day after the post was made, the Perry County Sheriff's Department sent a Lexington police officer to his home. After Bushart refused to take the post down, he was arrested by Lexington police later that night at the direction of Weems, according to the lawsuit. Bushart, who now happily walks free from jail, missed a lot while behind bars, including his anniversary with his wife, Leanna Bushart, and the birth of his grandchild. He also lost his job, his attorneys said.  Suzanne Swierc received $225,00 from Ball State University, where she worked as a former health director Suzanne Swierc received $225,00 from Ball State University, where she worked as a former health director.  She was fired after sharing a negative social media post about Charlie Kirk following his death that read: 'Let me be clear: if you think Charlie Kirk was a wonderful person, we can't be friends.  'I believe in Resurrection, and while it's difficult, I can do pray for his soul.  'Charlie Kik's death is a reflection of the violence, fear, and hatred he sowed. It does not excuse his death, AND it's a sad truth.  'The shooting is a tragedy, and i can and do feel for a college campus experiencing an active shooter situation.  'The deaths of Melissa and Mark Hortman, the children shot and killed in Minneapolis last month, and the children shot in Colorado today are all tragedies that also deserve your attention.  'Charlie Kirk excused the deaths of children in the name of the second amendment.'  Darren Michael, a theater and dance professor at Austin Peay State University (APSU) in Tennessee, got his job back and was awarded $500,000 after winning a lawsuit following his comments on Kirk's death Darren Michael, a theater and dance professor at Austin Peay State University (APSU) in Tennessee, got his job back and was awarded $500,000 after winning a lawsuit following his comments on Kirk's death.  He was suspended from his tenured position after he shared a Newsweek article titled: 'Charlie Kirk Says Gun Deaths ‘Unfortunately’ Worth it to Keep 2nd Amendment.'  Marsha Blackburn, a Republican senator from Tennessee, then shared Michael's post and commented: 'What do you say, Austin Peay State University?' tagging the school's account.  After the lawsuit was settled, APSU sent an email to the campus community that said that because the process for a tenured professor had not been followed at the time of Michael's termination, he would return to his position.  Jana Aldrich, a special education teacher in Iowa, was awarded an unspecified amount of benefits after she was let go from her position at the Child Saving Institute (CSI).  She shared a post with a 2023 quote from Kirk that said: 'I think it's worth to have a cost of unfortunately, some gun deaths every single year so that we can have the Second Amendment to protect our God-given rights.'  Jana Aldrich, a special education teacher in Iowa, was awarded an unspecified amount of benefits after she was let go from her position at the Child Saving Institute (CSI) Joshua Bregy, a former assistant professor in the Department of Environmental Engineering and Earth Science at Clemson University, is believed to have been his salary of $91,190, though not confirmed Aldrich captioned her post on her personal Facebook page: 'He was wrong... it's not worth it! I won't miss him!!!'  Her employer was then made aware of her post after '12 members of the public contacted the organization and complained,' Iowa Capital Dispatch reported.  That led to her termination, but when she filed for unemployment benefits, CSI challenged her.  Joshua Bregy is believed to have been given his salary of $91,190, though that is not confirmed.  The former assistant professor in the Department of Environmental Engineering and Earth Science at Clemson University  reposted 'a critique of Kirk’s rhetoric and began with a condemnation of violence' on September 26, 2025, and was terminated over it. Following a mediated settlement agreement on January 3, 2026, the South Carolina school agreed that Bregy would receive pay and benefits throughout the original term of his employment, according to ACLU South Carolina.   The comments below have not been moderated. 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