Charlie Kirk Vigil Planned in Hellertown

A candelight vigil in memory of slain conservative political activist Charlie Kirk is planned this Sunday at 8 p.m. in Hellertown’s Water Street Park.

Organized on Facebook by Katelyn Opdyke and Haleigh Oliemuller, the vigil will be “a peaceful evening of remembrance and reflection,” according to a description on the event page for it. “We invite the community to come together in solidarity, share memories and light candles as a symbol of unity and hope,” Oliemuller and Opdyke said.

The schedule for the vigil includes a welcome and gathering at 8 p.m., a moment of silence and reflections at 8:15 p.m. and a candle lighting and closing words at 8:30 p.m.

Attendees should bring a candle or flashlight and “kind words and memories to share,” the organizers said.

As of Thursday evening, 62 people had responded on Facebook that they would be attending the vigil and nearly 300 had responded that they are interested in attending.

Kirk, 31, was killed by an assassin’s bullet on Sept. 10 while speaking at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah, as part of a tour and debate series planned by the conservative political organization he founded, Turning Point USA. He was known for his appearances on college campuses and for being particularly influential among young voters in the 2024 presidential election.

His assassination–allegedly by 22-year-old Utah resident Tyler Robinson–has shocked and polarized the country, with many conservative Americans lionizing him as a champion of free speech cut down because of his views. On the left, a number of Kirk’s critics have voiced indifference to or even happiness over his death, at least in part due to those views, which were critical of everything from LGBTQ rights to gun control. Fallout from comments about Kirk’s death has included the firings of civil servants, teachers, journalists and entertainers like Jimmy Kimmel, whose late night TV show was suspended indefinitely by ABC Wednesday. These firings have ignited debate over limits on freedom of speech in the wake of political violence.

The vigil planned in Hellertown is one of many being held in Pennsylvania and around the country. Hundreds attended a vigil for Kirk in front of the Monroe County Courthouse in Stroudsburg Wednesday, with more planned in the coming days.