In the seven weeks since Charlie Kirk was shot and killed at Utah Valley University , some Utah students say they have seen a marked shift in how politics is discussed on campus.

“People kind of shut down faster than before,” said Utah Tech University student Natalia Cervantes. “They’re not as open to talking or discussing their own ideals.”

Cervantes describes herself as an independent, and said students on campus have always talked about politics. The tone, however, definitely changed after Kirk’s death.

“I feel like students are still [talking about politics], but they’re quicker to be aggressive rather than just put up a wall,” she said, “And that’s kind of on both sides, because they feel very passionately.”

It’s a similar story at the University of Utah .

“Out in

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