BOSTON (WHDH) – On Thursday night, the steps of the Statehouse by Boston Common transformed into a place of remembrance where hundreds came together and pay tribute to Conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
Kirk was assassinated last week on the Utah Valley University campus.
The president of Suffolk University’s Turning Point USA chapter was among those paying their respects.
“It’s been difficult to have someone you look up to taken in such a vicious way that no one should go,” said Anthony Cutler, the Chapter President.
Organizers urged those paying respects to write letters with messages of hope. Some in attendance also painted pictures of Charlie Kirk.
A few dozen counter-protesters tried to interrupt the vigil, but Boston police officers kept them at a distance. At least one man was escorted out of the area by police after he was seen harassing those at the event.
“They’re just here to do the exact opposite of what we are…I’m not surprised at all that they would try to celebrate the death of someone that we all cherished and loved so much,” said Matt Hoffman, who came to pay his respects to Kirk.
Those who spoke at the vigil prioritzed peace over politics, pushing a message of unity they believe Kirk would be proud of.
“I’m going to condemn political violence altogether, it’s never a way to solve problems. That’s something Charlie Kirk always warned us against,” Cutler said.
His message reflected the words of the vigil’s organizer, Brian Foley, earlier in the day.
“Its important to have a peaceful vigil and a true peaceful vigil,” Foley said. “The whole goal of this isn’t to get up and attack the left and say ‘the right is right’ or ‘the left is wrong,’ the whole point is to just get up and say ‘I’m human, you’re human, we all need to get along and remember that it’s politics, it’s not worth someone’s life.”
Foley organized the event ahead of this weekend’s funeral in Arizona. He said it would be a chance for people to leave a lasting mark.
“This is just an event to get together as humans and show that the Democrats and the Republicans can stand together for at least two hours in this city,” Foley said.
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