Jezebel removed a satirical piece about Etsy witches and posted an editorial note after conservative commentator Charlie Kirk was fatally shot days later.
The original article, published on September 8, described buying symbolic hexes from online sellers and framed the material as tongue-in-cheek commentary on internet witchcraft rather than any literal threat; Jezebel’s editors have repeatedly said the piece did not endorse violence.
Two days after the story ran, Kirk was shot while speaking at an outdoor event and later died from his wounds.
In an editorial note replacing the article’s text, Jezebel condemned the shooting and expressed condolences for Kirk’s family and colleagues.
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The note reiterated that the original story was satirical and did not advocate physical harm, and said the article was removed out of concern that its content could be misinterpreted or used to inflame an already volatile situation.
The editors framed the decision as one of sensitivity to changed circumstances rather than a retraction of the piece’s satirical intent.
The move prompted immediate public reaction. Critics argued the publication’s satire was poorly timed and risked blurring the line between rhetorical provocation and real-world violence, while defenders cautioned against equating satire with the responsibility for another person’s criminal act.
Jezebel’s editorial note left open the possibility of revisiting the piece when the immediate context has changed; at the same time, the site said it would not allow its content to be misused or to compound harm during an active tragedy.
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