Memorial statue of conservative activist Charlie Kirk vandalized

By Joseph Ax

Sept ‌13 (Reuters) - A newly ​installed ​memorial statue of slain conservative activist Charlie Kirk was vandalized overnight in Phoenix on Sunday, according ‌to the organization that he founded.

The statue was ⁠defaced with red paint, according to a post on X from ‌Tyler Bowyer, chief operating officer ‌of Turning Point Action, the youth-focused political organization founded by Kirk.

Phoenix police confirmed they had responded to ​calls on Sunday morning regarding a vandalized memorial outside the headquarters of Turning Point and asked anyone ⁠with information to call.

"This morning we woke up to radical criminals vandalizing our ​headquarters," Bowyer posted on X, along with photos of the statue and a separate sign ​that also had been spray-painted.

The ‌statue was unveiled on Thursday to mark one year since Kirk was fatally shot during ⁠a Turning Point event in Utah on September 10, 2025.

The man accused of killing Kirk, Tyler Robinson, has pleaded ⁠not guilty to murder charges and could face the death penalty ​if convicted.

Kirk's activism and legacy divided many in the country.

Civil rights advocates criticized Kirk for rhetoric they called racist, anti-immigrant, transphobic, and ‌misogynist, citing his public remarks denigrating Black Americans, LGBTQ+ communities, Muslims and immigrants.

His supporters ‌described him as a defender of conservative values and ⁠public debate who galvanized ‌young voters for ​President Donald Trump in the 2024 election.

(Reporting by Joseph Ax; Editing by Sergio Non and Aurora ‌Ellis)

---

Serious News for Serious Traders! Try StreetInsider.com Premium Free!

---

You May Also Be Interested In

• Sweden's centre-left opposition bloc seen winning by one seat, election authority projects
• Saudi pipeline outage threatens loss of 4% of global oil supply
• Trump tells Ukraine's Zelenskiy to stop hitting Russian diesel