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Charlie Kirk's statue defaced in US.
A memorial statue honouring slain conservative activist Charlie Kirk was vandalised with red paint outside the headquarters of the organisation he founded in Phoenix, Arizona, on Sunday.Police were called to the site on Sunday morning following reports of damage to the memorial. Phoenix police said they were seeking information from anyone who may have witnessed the vandalism or knew who was responsible.Tyler Bowyer, chief operating officer of Turning Point Action, said in a post on X that the statue had been defaced with red paint.
The memorial was unveiled on Thursday, ahead of the first anniversary of Kirk's death.
He was fatally shot on September 10 last year during a Turning Point event in Utah.Tyler Robinson, who is accused of killing Kirk, has pleaded not guilty to murder charges. Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty if he is convicted.Kirk's public legacy has remained deeply divisive. Civil rights groups have accused him of using rhetoric they considered racist, anti-immigrant, transphobic and misogynistic, pointing to comments he made about Black Americans, LGBTQ+ people, Muslims and immigrants.
His supporters, meanwhile, regarded him as a prominent advocate for conservative values and open political debate. Kirk also became a significant figure in efforts to mobilise young voters behind Donald Trump during the 2024 presidential election.
