Get Premium
Dark mode theme is available exclusively for premium users. Learn more about the benefits of subscribing.
No fees, cancel anytime.
Dark Mode 
No fees, cancel anytime 
then open in external browser
and click "Open in External Browser" 
7
Plenty Of Public Figures Attended Charlie Kirk’s Funeral, And Gave Controversial Speeches
Charlie Kirk’s memorial service drew one of the largest public turnouts for a private citizen in American history.
On September 21, the right-wing conservative was paid tribute at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona.
However, an online comparison of funeral numbers between the late activist and prominent historical figures like Martin Luther King Jr. and John F. Kennedy sparked a heated debate online.
Highlights
- Charlie Kirk’s memorial service at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, drew over 100,000 attendees, according to the organizers.
- Several notable political figures, conservative media personalities, and religious leaders were present to pay tribute to Kirk.
- Rep. Anna Paulina-Luna compared the late conservative to former President John F. Kennedy and Martin Luther King Jr. in her speech.
- “I wouldn’t have known anything about [Charlie Kirk] funeral unless I saw it on social media,” commented one netizen.
“It’s not a contest. Have a little dignity. Every memorial is as large or small… and just as important,” wrote one social media user.
RELATED:
Charlie Kirk was honored with a tribute at a memorial service held in State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona
Image credits: Gage Skidmore/Flickr
The 31-year-old was fatally attacked on September 10 by an armed assailant during a university debate.
According to the organizers of the memorial service, State Farm Stadium, home to the Arizona Cardinals of the NFL, can accommodate up to 73,000 people.
An additional 19,000 seats were available in the nearby Desert Diamond Arena, which served as an overflow facility for the service.
The organizers revealed the actual number of attendees shortly after the memorial.
Image credits: turningpointusa/Instagram
Image credits: NobleNegroe/X
As expected, they toldFox News Digital that approximately 90,000 people attended the service, with roughly 70,000 inside the stadium.
Another 10,000 people gathered at the nearby overflow venue, and an additional 10,000 watched the service from designated public viewing areas nearby.
The 31-year-old conservative lost his life after being shot in the neck during an event at a university
Image credits: U.S. National Archives and Records Administration
The service was broadcast across every major U.S. television network.
The Turning Point USA (TPUSA) founder’s memorial was attended by several notable political figures, conservative media personalities, and religious leaders.
U.S. President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance, Elon Musk, Republican House Representative Paulina-Luna, Black American conservative Dr. Ben Carson, far-right influencer and anchor Jack Posobiec, and others were all present at the service.
Trump was the headline speaker, and as he addressed the crowd, he hailed Charlie as a “great American hero” and a “martyr.”
Image credits: United Press International
“He’s a martyr now for America’s freedom. I know I speak for everyone here today when I say that none of us will ever forget Charlie. And neither now will history.”
Paulina-Luna went one step further during her speech, comparing Kirk to former assassinated political figures such as President John F. Kennedy and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Several prominent political figures and religious leaders expressed their sympathies for the “martyr” Charlie during their speeches
Image credits: turningpointusa/Instagram
“His name will stand etched in the history besides the likes of JFK, who boldly challenged a generation to ask what they could do for their country amid the shadows of the Cold War, and Dr. King, who marched into the jaws of hatred, sacrificing his safety and ultimately his life, to bend the arc of history towards justice.”
Meanwhile, Charlie’s wife, Erika Kirk, delivered a powerful and emotionally charged message as she addressed the crowd.
“My husband, Charlie, he wanted to save young men, just like the one who took his life.”
Image credits: John F. Kennedy Presidential Library & Museum
Image credits: JohnMcCloy/X
Being a devout Christian, Erika expressed her belief in Jesus’ teachings and announced that she had forgiven 22-year-old Tyler Robinson, who has been charged with Charlie’s assassination.
She said, “I forgive him because it is what Christ did. The answer to hate is not hate.”
Charlie’s funeral service compared to those of assassinated political figures such as President John F. Kennedy and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Image credits: turningpointusa/Instagram
Following the memorial, a heated online debate broke out, with netizens comparing the number of attendees at Charlie’s funeral to those at JFK’s and Dr. King’s funerals.
Several social media users claimed that Kirk’s funeral was one of the largest in American history in terms of turnout.
One post on X read, “Charlie Kirk’s memorial now has more people in attendance than MLK or JFK’s funeral. Our greatest strength on the Right is our unity, which sends a POWERFUL message of what it means to be a cohesive group of Patriotic Americans.”
Image credits: ThePatriotOasis/X
Many netizens remained skeptical and denied claims that it was the largest memorial.
One user commented, “For JFK or MLK more people watched at home than Kirk’s and they were much more well known than him, I’ve talked to a bunch of people that had to google Kirk to figure out who he was.”
Another wrote, “What’s the purpose of the comparison??? Sounds like something Trump would brag about.”
“D**n, turning a memorial into a spectacle of a political rally,” a third expressed.
“JFK and MLK were both before social media and the computer. That makes for a stupid comparison.”
Charlie had previously criticized Dr. King, calling him “not a good person” during a political convention
Image credits: Gage Skidmore/Flickr
As for the numbers, according to Britannica, JFK’s funeral in 1963 was attended by more than 250,000 people who paid their respects to the fallen president. His flag-draped coffin was carried to its final resting place in Arlington National Cemetery.
The funeral also featured a formal procession from the Capitol to St. Matthew’s Cathedral, with a riderless horse symbolizing the fallen leader.
Meanwhile, according to Britannica, Dr. King’s funeral procession in 1968 was joined by as many as 100,000 people, with tens of thousands more listening to the service over loudspeakers, and millions watching on television.
Two funeral services were held for him, the first at R.S. Lewis & Sons Funeral Home in Memphis, followed by a second in Atlanta.
Image credits: Martin Luther King Jr National Historic Site
His casket was loaded onto a wooden wagon pulled by two mules in a procession from Ebenezer Baptist Church to Morehouse College, allowing the public to pay their respects.
Following Kirk’s passing, Rep. Anna Paulina shared a post on X featuring an image of Kirk alongside Abraham Lincoln, JFK, Jesus, and Dr. King.
This post was firmly criticized by Bernice King, Dr. King’s daughter, on social media. She wrote, “There are so many things wrong with this. So many. I get tired, y’all.”
Image credits: turningpointusa/Instagram
Previously, while speaking at a Turning Point USA political convention in December 2023, Kirk had shared his views on MLK with the crowd.
“MLK was awful. He’s not a good person. He said one good thing he actually didn’t believe.”
“There is no way to compare because JFK and MLK were figures pre-Internet/social media and transportation was not the same,” wrote one user
Poll Question
Total votes ·
Thanks! Check out the results:
Total votes ·
Newsletter
Subscribe to Access
Exclusive Polls
By entering your email and clicking Subscribe, you're agreeing to let us send you customized marketing messages about us and our advertising partners. You are also agreeing to our Privacy Policy.
Thank you! You've successfully subscribed to newsletters!
Explore more of these tags
What do you think ?
dan gerene 2 months ago
They are treating his death the same way that Hitler treated Horst Wessel's. The N**i's even had a theme song for him. Charlie Kirk is now a martyr to those who never even heard of him before and won't listen to any disparagement even with references and quotes. But need an idol to worship. He is backed by millionaires who just like to stir things up while they reap their profits while the people are distracted.
LuckyL 2 months ago
They didn't hold a funeral - the hold a political event - they use his death and paint it in a direction as they like to. And everyone who raises questions or quotes him is made silent.
Load More Replies...
turk 2 months ago
Kirk once said President Joe Biden is a “corrupt tyrant who should honestly be put in prison and/or given the death penalty for his crimes against America.” He said he would not fly on a plane with a Black pilot. He called Paul Pelosi's attacker a hero and said someone should pay his bail. He said homosexuals being put to death was the perfect Biblical law. He said women who used birth control were "bitter". He said the purpose of women was to serve their husbands and not have careers. He called MLK a horrible person. He said empathy was an undesirable trait to possess. And of course, he said that people being killed by gun violence was a fair price to pay for gun rights. So, right there, Charlie agreed with his own killing. And he doesn't want my empathy. Not that I was offering it. This is the MAGAt martyr.
Ms.GB 2 months ago (edited)
He also said he disagreed with the civil rights amendment because of affirmative action and trans rights. Pretty hypocritical that he thought the lives lost from gun violence are a fair price to pay for gun rights but he didn't think that white ppl missing out on some jobs or some ppl being uncomfortable in a bathroom was worth ending slavery.
Load More Replies...
Enlee Jones 2 months ago
Charlie KIrk is the textbook definition of a mediocre white man. The way he's being treated like the second coming is flat out ridiculous.
BeesEelsAndPups 2 months ago
Notice that the right is no longer talking about Epstein. Very good news for Mr. Trump.
Load More Replies...
Tabitha 2 months ago (edited)
While I hate political violence, and am sorry for his family—-I am human, after all—-Kirk’s death is being blown all out of proportion. I had never even heard of him before he was killed. But what I have learned about him since—-the truth, not the right’s narrative—-is that he was pretty much a horrible person. Maybe not 100% horrible, I’m sure he loved his family and he did want the Epstein files released, but otherwise, he was a waste of oxygen. Yet the right is treating him like the second coming, ffs. MLK he wasn’t. JFK he wasn’t. RFK Sr (not Jr by a long shot) he wasn’t. He was just a radicalized white guy who, if the tables had been turned, would’ve been the one pulling the trigger on some other speaker—-and in his case, it probably would’ve been a Democrat. So having ABC run an all-day “special” covering his funeral like it’s November 25, 1963 all over again is ludicrous. Kirk was a nobody with a big foul mouth, who should’ve just kept his s****y opinions to himself and gone out and gotten himself a REAL job instead of a podcast. Too bad if you don’t like what I’ve written here. The First Amendment still exists as of today, so if any of the MAGAts reading this want to sic the FBI on me, then bring them the f**k ON.
KatSaidWhat 2 months ago (edited)
This morning I woke up and wondered when MLK was going to be dragged into this. Turns out I already knew. It's pretty disgusting to turn funeral attendance into a competition but of course they did.
R Dennis 2 months ago
It's a grift. They'll only care as long as the base isn't bored. As for the comparison: I doubt the other funerals used wrestling pyrotechnics to keep the crowd entertained. He'll fade just like the rest of their "martyrs" because they don't care about people, they care about hate.
🇺🇦 PrincessPatton 🇺🇦 2 months ago
Go to fück yourself with the nobody. It's good that he's gone, may all those MAGAassholes kïll each other soon.
Dirk Daring 2 months ago
I'd love to know how much State Farm Arena made in concessions that day, and how much of that got kicked back to The Diapered Don.
528A91 2 months ago
Pretty sure neither MLK or JFK said 'Gay people should be s****d to death', 'Religious freedom should be terminated' or 'Women's natural place is under their husband's control'. Or 100 other hateful, racist comments. Charlie did. I don't think he deserved to be killed, but he doesn't deserve to be spoken of in the same breath as MLK or JFK.
528A91 2 months ago
Go look at the record for MLK or JFK and see how many times they stated 'Gay people should be s****d to death', Muslims only come to America to destablize Western Civilisation, Women's natural place is under their husband's control, or the long laundry list of hate he regularly espoused.
Andi 2 months ago
If we are playing the numbers game Rod Stewart's New Year's Eve concert on Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro in 1994 saw an estimated 3.5 million people attending - put him in charge! Actually probs not a good idea, but you get the point.
Robert Beveridge 2 months ago (edited)
I can't stand that little train-jumping türd (and he will never, ever do enough good works to remove the tarnish of that horrific Downtown Train cover) and given our current ruling class I would adopt this suggestion in an instant. After all, he couldn't be worse...
Load More Replies... 
Janelle Collard 2 months ago (edited)
More than a million people lined the streets for Princess Diana's funeral. In some places in London, crowds were 10 people deep. Plus, they lined the streets all the way to Althorp, her final resting place. One million didn't turn out for this dude.
Ellinor she/they/elle 2 months ago (edited)
Yeah, Charlie Kirk hated a lot of things and a lot of people, you're right.
Load More Replies...
Tamra 2 months ago (edited)
LMAO...where? Where is the censorship? And, looks like you need to catch up...the GOP is officially the party *actually* killing free speech. Cankles the Clown himself said that any news story that is unflattering to him is no longer free speech. Get your $hit together.
Load More Replies...
Tamra 2 months ago
Why, you think he'd grant each of us a private meeting so we can tell him face-to-face? He can't even tolerate an unflattering news story without attempting to dismantle free speech. I will never respect such a weak man.
Load More Replies...
dan gerene 2 months ago
They are treating his death the same way that Hitler treated Horst Wessel's. The N**i's even had a theme song for him. Charlie Kirk is now a martyr to those who never even heard of him before and won't listen to any disparagement even with references and quotes. But need an idol to worship. He is backed by millionaires who just like to stir things up while they reap their profits while the people are distracted.
LuckyL 2 months ago
They didn't hold a funeral - the hold a political event - they use his death and paint it in a direction as they like to. And everyone who raises questions or quotes him is made silent.
Load More Replies... turk 2 months ago
Kirk once said President Joe Biden is a “corrupt tyrant who should honestly be put in prison and/or given the death penalty for his crimes against America.” He said he would not fly on a plane with a Black pilot. He called Paul Pelosi's attacker a hero and said someone should pay his bail. He said homosexuals being put to death was the perfect Biblical law. He said women who used birth control were "bitter". He said the purpose of women was to serve their husbands and not have careers. He called MLK a horrible person. He said empathy was an undesirable trait to possess. And of course, he said that people being killed by gun violence was a fair price to pay for gun rights. So, right there, Charlie agreed with his own killing. And he doesn't want my empathy. Not that I was offering it. This is the MAGAt martyr.
Ms.GB 2 months ago (edited)
He also said he disagreed with the civil rights amendment because of affirmative action and trans rights. Pretty hypocritical that he thought the lives lost from gun violence are a fair price to pay for gun rights but he didn't think that white ppl missing out on some jobs or some ppl being uncomfortable in a bathroom was worth ending slavery.
Load More Replies... Enlee Jones 2 months ago
Charlie KIrk is the textbook definition of a mediocre white man. The way he's being treated like the second coming is flat out ridiculous.
BeesEelsAndPups 2 months ago
Notice that the right is no longer talking about Epstein. Very good news for Mr. Trump.
Load More Replies... Tabitha 2 months ago (edited)
While I hate political violence, and am sorry for his family—-I am human, after all—-Kirk’s death is being blown all out of proportion. I had never even heard of him before he was killed. But what I have learned about him since—-the truth, not the right’s narrative—-is that he was pretty much a horrible person. Maybe not 100% horrible, I’m sure he loved his family and he did want the Epstein files released, but otherwise, he was a waste of oxygen. Yet the right is treating him like the second coming, ffs. MLK he wasn’t. JFK he wasn’t. RFK Sr (not Jr by a long shot) he wasn’t. He was just a radicalized white guy who, if the tables had been turned, would’ve been the one pulling the trigger on some other speaker—-and in his case, it probably would’ve been a Democrat. So having ABC run an all-day “special” covering his funeral like it’s November 25, 1963 all over again is ludicrous. Kirk was a nobody with a big foul mouth, who should’ve just kept his s****y opinions to himself and gone out and gotten himself a REAL job instead of a podcast. Too bad if you don’t like what I’ve written here. The First Amendment still exists as of today, so if any of the MAGAts reading this want to sic the FBI on me, then bring them the f**k ON.
KatSaidWhat 2 months ago (edited)
This morning I woke up and wondered when MLK was going to be dragged into this. Turns out I already knew. It's pretty disgusting to turn funeral attendance into a competition but of course they did.
R Dennis 2 months ago
It's a grift. They'll only care as long as the base isn't bored. As for the comparison: I doubt the other funerals used wrestling pyrotechnics to keep the crowd entertained. He'll fade just like the rest of their "martyrs" because they don't care about people, they care about hate.
🇺🇦 PrincessPatton 🇺🇦 2 months ago
Go to fück yourself with the nobody. It's good that he's gone, may all those MAGAassholes kïll each other soon.
Dirk Daring 2 months ago
I'd love to know how much State Farm Arena made in concessions that day, and how much of that got kicked back to The Diapered Don.
528A91 2 months ago
Pretty sure neither MLK or JFK said 'Gay people should be s****d to death', 'Religious freedom should be terminated' or 'Women's natural place is under their husband's control'. Or 100 other hateful, racist comments. Charlie did. I don't think he deserved to be killed, but he doesn't deserve to be spoken of in the same breath as MLK or JFK.
528A91 2 months ago
Go look at the record for MLK or JFK and see how many times they stated 'Gay people should be s****d to death', Muslims only come to America to destablize Western Civilisation, Women's natural place is under their husband's control, or the long laundry list of hate he regularly espoused.
Andi 2 months ago
If we are playing the numbers game Rod Stewart's New Year's Eve concert on Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro in 1994 saw an estimated 3.5 million people attending - put him in charge! Actually probs not a good idea, but you get the point.
Robert Beveridge 2 months ago (edited)
I can't stand that little train-jumping türd (and he will never, ever do enough good works to remove the tarnish of that horrific Downtown Train cover) and given our current ruling class I would adopt this suggestion in an instant. After all, he couldn't be worse...
Load More Replies... Janelle Collard 2 months ago (edited)
More than a million people lined the streets for Princess Diana's funeral. In some places in London, crowds were 10 people deep. Plus, they lined the streets all the way to Althorp, her final resting place. One million didn't turn out for this dude.
Ellinor she/they/elle 2 months ago (edited)
Yeah, Charlie Kirk hated a lot of things and a lot of people, you're right.
Load More Replies... Tamra 2 months ago (edited)
LMAO...where? Where is the censorship? And, looks like you need to catch up...the GOP is officially the party *actually* killing free speech. Cankles the Clown himself said that any news story that is unflattering to him is no longer free speech. Get your $hit together.
Load More Replies... Tamra 2 months ago
Why, you think he'd grant each of us a private meeting so we can tell him face-to-face? He can't even tolerate an unflattering news story without attempting to dismantle free speech. I will never respect such a weak man.
Load More Replies... 
Related on Bored Panda
-13
51