The FBI has launched an investigation into whether some transactivist groups and other extremists had foreknowledge of a plot to assassinate Charlie Kirk. According to law enforcement officials speaking to the New York Post, one extremist group being scrutinized is the armed Queers Salt Lake City.
This investigation seems to have caused quite a stir, leading the State Department to take swift measures.
Radical Group
Armed Queers SLC has been described as a radical socialist group, which was previously featured in now-deleted Instagram posts. This organization claimed to be a “revolutionary LGBTQ group focused on defense and empowerment” for individuals thought to be marginalized.
In a statement, the group asserted, “We are taking positive action.”
The group also shared a membership form that highlights six core principles, such as “protecting armed extremists within non-binary and trans communities” and advocating for “trans liberation from biological essentialism.”
In July 2024, a member interviewed stated that they were “organizing, educating, and stirring up the labor movement for the future of LGBTQ, anti-imperialists, and socialists.”
Additionally, during a training session in Cuba, members shared various radical thoughts and quotes on social media recently.
For instance, a post titled “Black August” included a quote from George L. Jackson, a Marxist convicted of armed robbery: “Discover your humanity and your love in the revolution.”
After Kirk’s assassination, the armed group reportedly began deleting social media profiles associated with his boyfriend and other leftist figures.
Radical
Elmiya Fanian, last year, was a trans activist identified as a man posing as a woman. He had been an “active organizer” for the armed group and was a student at the University of Utah. It’s clear that Fanian’s involvement with the armed Queers goes beyond mere organization.
The Pink Pistols, an LGBTQ gun rights group, confirmed that Fanian was part of their activism and had supported Sen. Elizabeth Warren’s presidential campaign before their partnership dissolved. Initially welcomed, Fanian started using the Pink Pistols’ name to push wider political agendas, which violated the organization’s focus on gun rights. As a result, the Pink Pistols parted ways with him in 2021, after which he rebranded to Armed Queers SLC.
It appears that Fanian is not the only individual distancing himself from the group.
Attempts to contact Sen. Warren’s office for a comment were made.
NGO
Utah’s diplomacy initiative will host the State Department’s International Exchange Program, which invites foreigners to engage in short-term professional and cultural experiences. This endeavor is likely tied to the notion that citizens play a role in “shaping our diplomacy.”
DataPublican has highlighted Fanian, referencing a now-deleted student profile from 2019 revealing he was “originally from Iran” and recognized for 17 awards by a Utah-based NGO in September 2022.
Division
A source from the State Department revealed that all ties with Utah’s global diplomacy, which had been indirectly connected to outside implementers, have now been severed.
This may have significant implications for NGOs, particularly since a considerable amount of their funding comes from government grants.
“We are taking proactive measures to ensure that any implementers linked to this radical organization are entirely excluded from State Department involvement,” the source noted.
Senator Marco Rubio announced this week that the State Department has also revoked a personal visa connected to individuals celebrating Kirk’s assassination.
