A statue of Charlie Kirk was vandalized with red spray paint mere days after being erected. Neither Turning Point USA or Kirk’s widow, Erika, stayed silent.
A newly erected statue of Charlie Kirk has been vandalized with red spray paint at Turning Point USA’s headquarters in Phoenix, Arizona.
The 8-foot statue had been unveiled as recently as on September 10, marking one year since he was shot while speaking at an event at Utah Valley University.
Turning Point USA’s response to the vandalism
Turning Point USA says it plans to restore the statue and replace a poster that was also damaged on the same night. They are reviewing security footage and working with law enforcement to identify the culprit or culprits.
“But vandalism like this is not funny, it’s diabolical,” a statement from them at X read.
The group also pointed out that beyond the spray paint on the statue’s face and neck, the vandals had specifically crossed out the name of Jesus on a nearby sign. The statement closed with a Bible verse: “If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first,” John 15:18.
The poster that was targeted featured a photo of Kirk alongside the words, “May Charlie be received into the merciful arms of Jesus, our loving Savior.”
Erika Kirk responds
Kirk’s widow, Erika, shared Turning Point USA’s post to her own page.
“Charlie once said we should be building two statues for every statue that they tear down. His instinct was always to build, not to destroy,” she wrote.
“They thought a bullet would silence my husband’s voice but it only made it louder. They think spray paint can obscure his legacy, but it will only spread it further. Every attempt to tear down what Charlie built makes us root deeper and work even harder.”
She also addressed the vandalism of the religious message directly.
“If you think crossing out the name of Jesus Christ will silence Christians, history has already proved you wrong. We know what it costs to stand firm for Christ and we will stand anyway. God will not be mocked,” she wrote.
The vandalism came just days after the one-year anniversary of Kirk’s death. On September 10, Erika shared a photo from their wedding day on Instagram, captioning it simply, “…until Heaven.”
President Trump also spoke about Kirk during the Republican National Committee’s Midterm Convention in Dallas that same week.
“And in Charlie’s honor, I just want to say: We love you, Charlie.”
Read more:
