Charlie Kirk was, to many on the conservative Right in the United States of America, a powerful advocate for free speech — willing to engage in public debates with those who disagreed with him. The assassination of the influential activist has, however, unleashed a torrent of anger and divisiveness that threaten dissent and freedom of opinion. Donald Trump’s administration has sought to crack down on left-wing groups that it accuses of hate speech and that sections of his supporters blame for a culture of violence that took a fatal turn with Mr Kirk’s killing. The suspect accused by prosecutors of assassinating Mr Kirk, Tyler Robinson, had, according to court documents based on interviews with relatives, taken a political turn towards the Left in recent years despite coming from a staunchly Republican family. Mr Kirk’s killing is part of a much larger trend of political violence that has swamped the US in recent years. Mr Trump was the target of two attempted assassinations last year as he campaigned to return to the White House. In June this year, a Democratic Minnesota lawmaker was killed at her home along with her husband. In April, the house of the Democratic Pennsylvania governor, Josh Shapiro, was set on fire while he and his family were inside. Earlier, the husband of the then House of Representatives Speaker, Nancy Pelosi, a Democrat, was attacked with a hammer at their home.

These can no longer be viewed as isolated incidents. They signify a deepening spirit of polarisation in the American polity and society that is inimical to freedoms crucial for a democracy. Many of Mr Kirk’s worst critics have condemned his assassination. Some have criticised Mr Kirk too, pointing to his legacy of racism and division. Ironically, the threat by Mr Trump’s administration to punish those it feels have been less than sympathetic to Mr Kirk after his passing, including those holding US visas commenting on social platforms, undercuts the US conservative movement’s admiration for free speech as an absolute right. Many organisations have fired employees over their comments related to Mr Kirk. At a tense moment, the US needs its government to calm the country, not further fan the flames of division. The rest of the world, including India, needs to learn too: the line between vitriol and violence in politics is getting thinner. Once erased, it will not be easy to reinstate.