RismadarVoice Reporters
September 13, 2026
A newly installed memorial statue honouring slain conservative activist Charlie Kirk was vandalised overnight in Phoenix, Arizona, according to the organisation he founded.
The statue, located outside the headquarters of Turning Point USA, was defaced with red paint, while a separate sign on the premises was also spray-painted.
Tyler Bowyer, chief operating officer of Turning Point Action, the youth-focused political organisation founded by Kirk, confirmed the vandalism in a post on X and described those responsible as “radical criminals.”
Phoenix police said officers responded to calls on Sunday morning concerning a vandalised memorial outside the Turning Point headquarters. Authorities appealed to members of the public with information about the incident to come forward.
The statue was unveiled on Thursday, marking one year since Kirk was fatally shot during a Turning Point event in Utah on September 10, 2025.
Kirk, a prominent conservative activist and influential figure among young Republican voters, was killed during an outdoor event attended by supporters. Tyler Robinson, the man accused of the killing, has pleaded not guilty to murder charges and could face the death penalty if convicted.
The vandalism comes as Kirk’s supporters and opponents continue to debate his political legacy and public rhetoric.
Kirk was a prominent supporter of conservative causes and played a significant role in mobilising young voters behind President Donald Trump during the 2024 presidential election. His supporters have portrayed him as an advocate for conservative values, free speech and political debate.
Civil rights advocates, however, had criticised some of Kirk’s public statements, accusing him of using rhetoric they considered racist, anti-immigrant, transphobic and misogynistic, particularly in comments concerning Black Americans, Muslims, immigrants and LGBTQ+ communities.
The vandalism has added another point of tension around a figure whose political influence and public legacy remain deeply divisive in the United States.
Police have not publicly identified a suspect or announced any arrests in connection with the incident. The investigation into the vandalism was ongoing.
