Charlie Kirk lauded at Arizona memorial as galvanizing force for conservatism

GLENDALE, Arizona: Tens of thousands of mourners dressed in red, white and blue turned up to honour Charlie Kirk on Sunday (Sep 21) at a memorial service in Arizona, where his fellow conservatives praised him as an inspirational Christian leader and vowed to carry on with the political movement he started. 

President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance and several Cabinet members were scheduled to pay tribute to the charismatic Kirk 11 days after he was assassinated during a campus event in Utah. 

The memorial, organised by Kirk's conservative youth advocacy organisation Turning Point USA, had the feel of a religious revival mixed with a "Make America Great Again" political rally.

Conservative podcaster Benny Johnson credited Kirk with helping him move past an addiction to alcohol to lead a more moral, Christian life. Like many speakers, he echoed Kirk's exhortation to young men to get married and have children.

"Did Charlie bring you closer to God?" Johnson asked, drawing a resounding "yes" from the crowd.

Stephen Miller, the powerful White House adviser, vowed to use Kirk's death as a galvanising force to finish the work he began.

"We will carry Charlie and Erika in our heart every single day, and fight that much harder because of what you did to us," Miller said. 

"You have no idea the dragon you have awakened. You have no idea how determined we will be to save this civilisation, to save the West, to save the republic."

Christian rock music blared through loudspeakers and pictures of Kirk were set on easels throughout the walkways of State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona. 

The arena, which normally has a capacity of 63,000, appeared completely full. 

Crowds of people, many wearing MAGA merchandise, had arrived before dawn to secure seats inside the stadium, where they encountered metal detectors amid tight security.

Trump, who was set to close the event with his remarks, has credited Kirk with mobilising young voters behind his campaign last year. 

Civil rights groups criticised Kirk for rhetoric they described as racist, anti-immigrant, transphobic and misogynistic, while his backers say he was a defender of conservative values and a champion of free speech.

Other speakers included Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, more evidence of Kirk's political influence. 

Kirk, 31, was killed with a single bullet as he answered an audience member's question at a campus event in Utah organised by Turning Point. 

A 22-year-old technical college student has been charged with Kirk's murder, and investigators say he told his romantic partner in text messages that he had killed Kirk because he had "enough of his hate".

Kirk had two young children. His wife, Erika Kirk, was elected the new chief executive of Turning Point in the wake of his death and was expected to address the crowd on Sunday.

RISING FEARS OF VIOLENCE

His death has raised fears about the growing frequency of United States political violence across the ideological spectrum, while also deepening partisan divides.

Trump has cited the murder in escalating his calls for a crackdown on his political opponents, including left-wing organisations that he has blamed for the shooting, even though authorities have said the gunman acted alone.

During her remarks, Tulsi Gabbard, the US director of national intelligence, tied Kirk's killing to what she described as a historical pattern in which "political fanatics" eventually turn to violence to defend their ideals.

"They kill and terrorise their opponents, hoping to silence them," she said. 

"But in this evil that we have experienced - that Charlie faced - their flawed ideology is exposed, because by trying to silence Charlie, his voice is now louder than ever." 

Last week, Walt Disney's ABC network abruptly pulled late-night talk-show host Jimmy Kimmel off the air over comments about Kirk's death that some conservatives said were offensive. 

Hours before the suspension, Trump's head of the Federal Communications Commission, Brendan Carr, threatened to punish the network over Kimmel's words.

Regina Starr, 59, a semi-retired volunteer who helps care for the elderly, said Kirk’s defining trait was not his politics or his role in founding Turning Point USA - it was his unapologetic Christianity.

“He didn’t try to shove it down people’s throats,” she said. “He was just open. He shared the love of Jesus like he breathed it - naturally, fearlessly. And that made him a target.”