A statue erected in tribute to Charlie Kirk was vandalized in Phoenix, Arizona, near the headquarters of Turning Point USA, the conservative organization founded by the American activist. The work, unveiled a few days earlier, was covered in red paint, as was a sign installed nearby, according to Reuters. The damage was discovered Sunday morning. Phoenix police confirmed they received calls about a vandalized memorial and asked anyone with information to contact authorities. At this point, no suspects have been publicly identified.
Tyler Bowyer, director of operations at Turning Point Action, denounced an act committed by “radical criminals”. The organization said it plans to clean and restore the statue, as well as replace damaged panels. She also claims to review video surveillance footage with law enforcement. Charlie Kirk’s widow, Erika Kirk, responded by saying that her husband once said that it was necessary “build two statues for each statue” destroyed. “His instinct has always been to build, not destroy”she writes on X. And affirms: “Every attempt to destroy what Charlie has built pushes us to dig deeper and work even harder. »
The statue, approximately 2.4 meters high, was installed Thursday, September 10, to mark the first anniversary of the death of the conservative activist, shot and killed in 2025 during an event organized at Utah Valley University. A 22-year-old man, Tyler Robinson, is charged with the murder and faces the death penalty. He has pleaded not guilty to the charges against him. In New York, the inauguration of another statue, also temporary, gave rise to tense exchanges between supporters of the Maga movement and opponents, with no reported excesses. Hundreds of supporters gathered around the work, some chanting “USA” and brandishing signs stating: “They can’t kill us all. »
