Supporters gathered Saturday evening in Fort Worth to march and rally in honor of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, who was assassinated Sept. 10 while speaking at a university in Utah.
His funeral is scheduled for Sunday.
Organizers said the event was not only a tribute to Kirk’s legacy, but also a moment to pray for the country.
Saturday march began at JFK Memorial
Saturday’s march and rally started at the JFK Memorial in Fort Worth, and protestors marched to the Tarrant County Courthouse, where the event wrapped up around 8 p.m.
Together with American flags and signs of support, hundreds of protestors — from kids to older adults — marched to honor Kirk.
The Fort Worth event was organized by GOP groups from across North Texas, including the Tarrant County Republican Party, in partnership with the local chapter of Turning Point USA, the conservative youth organization founded by Kirk.
“Charlie is someone who inspired millions of young conservatives, including myself and my wife,” said Carlos Turcios, one of the event organizers. “We need to have some level of humanity in this country once again and realize maybe you should have a conversation with people. Don’t be afraid.”
Faith, freedom, and unity emphasized
While Kirk’s views were polarizing for some, many attendees expressed admiration for his commitment to free speech and Christian conservative values. Organizers said the rally was meant to honor those principles and encourage others to stand up for them.
Cassidy Dotson, who arrived from Denton for the event, said that for her, this is about standing up for her Christian values.
“He made such an impact,” said Dotson. “I’m a believer, Jesus Christ is my savior, and he believed that, he spoke that, and that was his message that he wanted to get across to people.”
Counter-protesters and police presence
On the other side, a handful of counter-protesters also attended nearby.
Donnell Ballard was one of them.
“I don’t want to see this in my own city,” said Ballard. “I think it’s wrong. I did a lot of research on him, and I just feel like he is not the leader for everybody.”
Throughout the day, a heavy police presence existed, but as of late Saturday, everything remained peaceful. While controversial for some, Dotson hopes something bigger comes out of this.
“The Lord is going to take this and turn it for good,” Dotson said. “I have no doubt in my mind. That’s where my faith stands.”
Dallas rally focuses on prayer and free speech
Earlier Saturday, a separate rally was held at Dealey Plaza in downtown Dallas. The event ran from 2 to 4 p.m. and was described by organizers as a peaceful prayer vigil focused on honoring Kirk’s legacy, defending free speech, and opposing political violence.
Arizona memorial expected to draw thousands
The local rallies honoring Charlie Kirk come ahead of a large public memorial scheduled for Sunday in Arizona.
The event will be held at State Farm Stadium, which seats approximately 63,000 people and is expected to be at full capacity. To accommodate overflow, Kirk’s organization, Turning Point USA, has also reserved the neighboring hockey arena.
Scheduled speakers include Kirk’s widow, Erika; Vice President J.D. Vance; and former President Donald Trump. The Department of Homeland Security has designated the memorial a Level 1 security event, placing it on par with the Super Bowl in terms of national security significance.
Security measures in place for memorial
The Department of Homeland Security has designated Charlie Kirk’s public memorial in Arizona as a Level 1 security event, placing it on par with the Super Bowl. Security measures will include uniformed and plainclothes officers, drones, more than 300 surveillance cameras, and counterterrorism sniper teams.
The memorial is scheduled to begin at 1 p.m. Central Time on Sunday.
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