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Monday night, an extensive campaign to publicly identify, threaten, and target people viewed as not sufficiently mourning the death of rightwing activist Charlie Kirk received backing by the US Vice-President.

While guest-hosting on the late commentator’s show, the Vice-President declared that those who witness anyone applauding Charlie’s murder” should publicly identify them”. Vance went on to say: “In fact, call their employer. We are opposed in political violence, but we do believe in civility, and there is no civility in the celebration of targeted killing.”

In the past week, multiple employees across diverse fields—including university faculty to an airline pilot—have been fired over their comments regarding the commentator’s killing.

A nameless website that began collecting reports of critical rhetoric stated it had received over sixty-three thousand submissions. Originally named “Reveal Kirk’s Critics”, the site rebranded on Monday to the “Kirk Memorial Initiative”.

Supporters of former President Trump have attempted to link the assassination—without evidence—to what they label as a organized leftwing “terror” network that endorses targeted attacks. This has sparked concerns of a severe crackdown on expression.

On the show, the Vice-President stated that the administration would “work to dismantle the organizations that promote violence and extremism in our nation”.

Joining Vance on the podcast was Trump’s deputy chief of staff, who also vowed to crack down on what he referred to as a “vast homegrown extremist network” he held responsible for Kirk’s death.

“I solemnly swear,” he stated, “we are going to use all available tools at the Department of Justice, homeland security, and throughout this government to identify, undermine, dismantle, and eliminate these groups.”

The political leanings of the shooter are not yet known, and the United States has witnessed a wave of attacks in the past few years that has targeted both Democrats and Republicans.

However, the broad effort has also ensnared those who expressed disapproval of the deceased activist, a religious conservative with a record of sexist and bigoted remarks. Some have simply quoted Kirk’s own words or been accused for failing to grieve his passing.

An example of a individual affected was Army Lt Col a service member, who shared the commentator on the day of his killing. Among the quotes were Kirk referring to the landmark legislation as a “monster” that “became an anti-white weapon”, and his claim that certain gun deaths are the cost of the Second Amendment.

Republican-controlled states such as the Sunshine State, the Sooner State, and Texas have launched inquiries into teachers accused of making offensive comments after last week’s killing. Meanwhile, the Armed Forces has encouraged members of the public to report those who “celebrate or mock” the killing, and confirmed that some troops have already been removed for their statements.

Calls for a crackdown by Vance and additional Trump allies have brought back recollections of some of the most troubling chapters in US the past.

“The government involvement in this does inch it nearer to resembling McCarthyism,” commented Adam Goldstein of the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, referring to the 1950s campaign to root out leftists that resulted in unfounded accusations and destroyed livelihoods. “It was not a shining era for open discourse.”

Liberal figures have also been targets of political violence in recent times, including the June assassination of a MN elected official and her husband, and the assault of ex-congresswoman Nancy Pelosi’s husband in their San Francisco residence.