{"id":420851,"date":"2025-09-13T10:28:14","date_gmt":"2025-09-13T10:28:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/420851\/"},"modified":"2025-09-13T10:28:14","modified_gmt":"2025-09-13T10:28:14","slug":"charlie-kirk-belfast-rally-tearful-widow-vows-i-will-never-let-your-legacy-die","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/420851\/","title":{"rendered":"Charlie Kirk Belfast rally: Tearful\u00a0widow vows:\u00a0\u2018I will never let your legacy die\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"

The 31-year-old, a Donald Trump ally and co-founder of the youth right-wing organisation Turning Point USA, was shot and killed at a Utah Valley University show on Wednesday.<\/p>\n

After the shooting, the US President called Mr Kirk a “martyr for truth and freedom” and blamed the rhetoric of the “radical left” for the killing.<\/p>\n

Suspected killer Tyler Robinson remains in custody following a 33-hour manhunt that ended when his father convinced him to surrender.<\/p>\n

On Friday night, Erika Kirk delivered her first public remarks since the shooting, from the office where her late husband hosted his podcast.<\/p>\n

Addressing her husband’s killer, she said: “You have no idea the fire that you have ignited within this wife.<\/p>\n

“The cries of this widow will echo around the world like a battle cry.”<\/p>\n

\"Erika<\/p>\n

Erika Kirk, the wife of the late Charlie Kirk, lies draped across her husband’s casket. [Erika Kirk\/Instagram]<\/p>\n

Suspect in Charlie Kirk\u2019s killing had become \u2018more political\u2019, authorities say<\/p>\n

She also thanked Mr Trump, saying through tears that her husband loved the president, and vowed to keep her husband’s work alive, continuing his campus tour, radio show and podcast.<\/p>\n

Here, a rally started at Belfast City Hall at 11am in memory of Mr Kirk.<\/p>\n

\"Tyler<\/p>\n

Tyler Robinson was arrested in Utah. Utah Governor\u2019s Office via AP<\/p>\n

Organisers described it as a “gathering for free speech\u201d.<\/p>\n

DUP leader Gavin Robinson said Mr Kirk was \u201chated by those who could not bear to see their ideology challenged\u201d.<\/p>\n

He said Mr Kirk\u2019s \u201cconvictions were rooted in his faith\u201d and “spoke more broadly to anyone who values truth, fairness and the foundations of a stable society\u201d.<\/p>\n

US authorities said the man accused of Mr Kirk’s assassination had earlier told relatives of his opposition to Mr Kirk’s viewpoints.<\/p>\n

\"Sisters<\/p>\n

Sisters Clara Hetland (4), left, Haddie Hetland, centre (9), and Audra Hetland (6), of Surprise, Arizona, spend time at a makeshift memorial set up at Turning Point USA headquarters. AP Photo\/Ross D. Franklin.<\/p>\n

Tyler Robinson (22) had become “more political” in the run-up to the shooting and had indicated to a family friend afterwards that he was responsible, Utah governor Spencer Cox said.<\/p>\n

Mr Cox also cited as key pieces of evidence engravings on bullets found in a rifle believed to have been used in the attack, as well as chatting app messages attributed to the shooting suspect which a roommate shared with law enforcement.<\/p>\n

The Republican governor called Mr Kirk’s killing an “attack on the American experiment”, and he urged a new generation to “choose a different path”.<\/p>\n

Tyler Robinson was arrested on suspicion of aggravated murder, felony discharge of a firearm causing serious bodily harm and obstruction of justice charges, according to a court affidavit.<\/p>\n

A judge ordered that he be held without bail. Formal charges are expected early next week.<\/p>\n

Robinson is believed to have acted alone and the investigation is ongoing, Mr Cox said.<\/p>\n

\"Vice<\/p>\n

Vice President JD Vance, right, Second Lady Usha Vance, centre, and Erika Kirk deplane Air Force Two, carrying the body of Charlie Kirk. AP Photo\/Ross D. Franklin<\/p>\n

Authorities have yet to reveal a motive, but they did describe evidence they said shed potential light on the killing.<\/p>\n

That includes engravings on bullet casings recovered from the high-powered rifle believed to have been used in the attack, including one that said “Hey, fascist! Catch!”, Mr Cox said.<\/p>\n

Mr Kirk was killed by a single shot in what police said was a targeted attack and Utah’s governor called a political assassination.<\/p>\n

Mr Trump, who was joined by Democrats in condemning the violence, said he would award Mr Kirk the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian honour in the US.<\/p>\n

Vice president JD Vance and his wife, Usha, visited with Mr Kirk’s family on Thursday in Salt Lake City.<\/p>\n

Mr Kirk’s coffin was flown aboard Air Force Two from Utah to Phoenix, where his non-profit political youth organisation is based.<\/p>\n

Mr Trump told reporters he plans to attend Kirk’s funeral. Details have not been announced.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The 31-year-old, a Donald Trump ally and co-founder of the youth right-wing organisation Turning Point USA, was shot…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":420852,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5011],"tags":[1999,2378,924,32,1144,16,15],"class_list":{"0":"post-420851","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-northern-ireland","8":"tag-adrian-rutherford","9":"tag-belfast","10":"tag-democratic-unionist-party","11":"tag-donald-trump","12":"tag-northern-ireland","13":"tag-uk","14":"tag-united-kingdom"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@uk\/115196521159383479","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/420851","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=420851"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/420851\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/420852"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=420851"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=420851"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=420851"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}