The controversy surrounding Luigi Mangione showed no sign of cooling.
Supporters of Mangione remained defiant Friday after the 28-year-old pleaded guilty in connection with the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, continuing to cast him as a symbol of anger toward the U.S. health insurance industry.
A crowd gathered outside the Manhattan federal courthouse as Mangione admitted guilt to two stalking charges, with some backers portraying the December 2024 killing of Thompson not as a straightforward act of violence, but as a protest against what they described as a deeply unfair health care system.
“I see it more of a revolutionary act of protest, the likes of which we haven’t seen since the civil rights era,” said Abril Rios, 27, who described herself as a “Mangionista” and political advocate.
“I hope Brian Thompson is the last death from the healthcare industry. I would also like to see no more violence, no more profit motive there.”
Another vocal Mangione supporter, Christina Marani, said Thompson’s death had forced a broader public reckoning over health insurance and access to care.
“In a way, it’s really unfortunate that someone had to die to spark the conversations that we’re now having, but unfortunately that’s the way it is,” she said. “His death resulted in us having these tough conversations about health care inequality and people suffering in America.
“Not necessarily worth it,” she said of Thompson’s slaying, “but I can understand the effects that have come from it.”
