Aussie tattooist fired over Charlie Kirk shooting artwork, faces online backlash

Tattoo artist Ben Burdekin worked for Downunder Tattoo and shared the artwork online, showing a bullet coming out of Kirk’s neck with “thoughts and prayers” written below.

“Bad pizza is still better than a hole in the neck,” his caption read on Instagram.

“I don’t condone the killing of anyone for the sake of differing views but if this tattoo is the worst thing you see today then what’s happening in the rest of the world is going to rock you to your core.”

Following Burdekin’s controversial post, Downunder Tattoo revealed on Monday he had parted ways with the company.

“We are aware of a tattoo recently shared online by a former artist. While the artwork was created and shared while they were with us, we have since parted ways. We apologise for any concern or distress this situation has caused,” the statement read.

Mr Burdekin since removed the post and apologised on his Instagram.

“I apologise for any distress caused by the tattoo I recently shared. I am no longer working at Downunder tattoo,” he said.

The Charlie Kirk tattoo sparked a wave of negative feedback online.

“What’s wrong with you dude,” one said.

“Filthy, this was a man murdered and most people would have simply refused to do the tattoo,” another added.

“This is one of the most disgusting things I have ever seen someone do following the death of someone. Sickening that someone would put this on their body. A tattoo of a man’s final moments, a tattoo of two children’s father … being murdered,” a third said.

Kirk was assassinated on September 10 while at a speaking event at Utah Valley University.

The American activist’s life was remembered during a memorial on Sunday at State Farm Stadium, Arizona, with nearly 100,000 people in attendance, according to Turning Point USA.

President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance and Kirk’s wife, Erika Kirk, were among some of the key speakers.