Glendale (dpa -AfX) – The funeral service for Charlie Kirk is more than a farewell to a prominent right activist. Staged like a mixture of worship, Christian pop concert and political rally, the event with tens of thousands of participants also gave a demonstration of power behind US President Donald Trump – and probably also a catalyst for an increasingly combative agenda of his government.
Already at dawn, thousands gathered in front of the stadium in Glendale in the state of Arizona, where Kirk most recently lived with his family. In the snake you tune “USA” calls, many are dressed in red, white or blue – as requested by Turning Point. The arena holds up to 73,000 spectators, and another hall has been set up for those who can no longer get in.
Safety measures like the Superbowl
To get to the stadium, visitors had to pass detailed security checks. The precautions would be strict anyway, in view of the circumstances, concerns about possible violence is particularly great. According to US media reports, the Ministry of Homeland protection classified the funeral service to a security level similar to the Superbowl or the New York Marathon.
At noon (local time) the program started – with Christian music, prayers and singing. “You will hear from who’s who,” a pastor announced at the beginning. In addition to Kirk’s widow Erika, President Trump and Vice President JD Vance were also on the list of speakers. According to information, Trump was expected to appear as the last speaker.
Numerous other government officials were there. Also tech billionaire Elon Musk could be seen in the stadium. Because of the many participants from the White House, according to reporters, two aircraft were needed to travel from Washington.
Symbol of “Make America Great Again”
On the stage, other companions of Kirks also remembered the 31-year-old. Such contributions are common in funeral celebrations in the USA. The political importance of the event is less common: With greatly religiously charged language, Kirk was not only presented as a deceased, but also as a symbolic figure for the future of the “Make America Great Again” movement he shaped.
The violent death of Kirks in front of the cameras has deeply shaken the American rights. The activist made a name for himself as an advocate of freedom of expression. With his organization Turning Point USA, which he founded in 2012 at the age of 18, he attended universities and challenged students – including those with a different political attitude. Critics accused him of racist, homophobic and sexist views. At such an event, Kirk was shot in the state of Utah on September 10th.
Investigations into assassination
Over the years, Kirk had become one of the most famous faces of the American rights. He reached an audience of millions, especially young people, through his platforms, including a successful podcast. In the election campaign, he helped Trump to become more popular with them. He was considered a close confidante of Vice President Vance; Trump’s eldest son Don Jr. said after the assassination attempt that Kirk was like a brother for him.
Kirk’s alleged murderer – a 22 -year -old – threatens the death penalty. According to initial knowledge, he acted alone. So far there has been no final clarity about his motif. Investigators said, citing relatives and seized text messages, the young man – who is supposed to come from a conservative parents – have recently taken a left -wing political attitude. According to media reports, he was also active in the gamer scene. How exactly this influenced his actions is open. According to the indictment, he wrote in a message that he had enough of Kirk’s “hate”.
After the attack, conjectures quickly spread about possible backgrounds. While the funeral service was running, FBI boss Kash Patel explained that numerous theories are being followed. Patel himself had repeatedly fueled conspiracy theories before his appointment in podcast appearances.
Concern for freedom of expression in the USA
Trump and his environment blend the rhetoric of the “radical left” for the assassination – and, according to critics, blind the broader problem of increasing radicalization in the country. Instead, according to the accusation, Trump also poured oil into the fire with his statements. In the course of this, there is also a violent argument about how to talk about Kirk and his death. Observers warn that the attack can become a lever to limit opposition, press and critical voices.
“Tears turned into fire”
The speeches showed how tight mourning, anger, religious messages and political interpretation at the celebration were on stage. Some called for love and unity, told about personal memories of Kirk. Others attached significantly harder tones and sometimes also linked to the “Great Replacement Theory”
– A conspiracy narrative distributed in right -wing extremist circles,
according to which migration and social change should bring about a targeted exchange of the white majority population.
“We’ll be about the powers of injustice and evil victories,” said Trump’s deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller and explained that tears about Kirk’s death had turned into a “fire” that the “enemies” could not understand. The right -wing radical commentator Benny Johnson called the crowd to marry and get children “so that millions of new Charlie Kirks are created and we can save our country”.
Conspiracy theorist Jack Posobiec said that the left, the media and the Democrats would never be forgotten. In the history books, his “victim” will appear as a turning point – as one of the crucial moments to “save western civilization”.