{"id":236963,"date":"2025-09-18T18:22:14","date_gmt":"2025-09-18T18:22:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/236963\/"},"modified":"2025-09-18T18:22:14","modified_gmt":"2025-09-18T18:22:14","slug":"philly-supporters-hold-charlie-kirk-vigil-and-hope-for-unity","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/236963\/","title":{"rendered":"Philly supporters hold Charlie Kirk vigil and hope for unity"},"content":{"rendered":"

Henrietta Hassinger waited by her SUV for a friend parking in an adjacent spot. Like many others at Fluehr Park on Wednesday evening, she said she hoped Charlie Kirk\u2019s death would spur Americans to reconcile.<\/p>\n

\u201cI hope this would bring people more together and not be so far apart,\u201d Hassinger said. \u201cI\u2019m hurt, but I\u2019m happy for him because I know he\u2019s in heaven.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

A large crowd of over 100 people gathered at a vigil for the conservative political activist<\/a> in Northeast Philadelphia, six days after the 31-year-old was shot and killed at an event on Utah Valley University\u2019s campus.<\/p>\n

Kirk was the founder of Turning Point USA, which is largely credited with helping the GOP to turn out young adults in elections over the past decade. He was known for holding events on college campuses, where he often engaged with liberal critics. Some of Kirk\u2019s statements were controversial<\/a> and provocative. He was a strong critic of the Civil Rights Act of 1964<\/a> and LGBTQ+ rights<\/a>, said gun deaths are \u201cworth it\u201d to protect gun rights<\/a>, and said he believed<\/a> in \u201creplacement theory<\/a>,\u201d the idea that global elites \u2014 often with antisemitic references to Jewish people \u2014 are attempting to increase the number of non-white immigrants, displacing white Americans.<\/p>\n

While almost all politicians denounced the violence, many Democrats had said that Kirk\u2019s words had harmful consequences for many people, and condemned the Trump Administration\u2019s decision to honor Kirk, whom the president was especially fond of. State Sen. Anthony Hardy Williams, a Democrat from Philadelphia, was among them.<\/p>\n

\u201cHonoring someone who spent his life promoting division and bigotry sends the wrong message,\u201d Williams said. \u201cWe must not conflate tragedy with heroism.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"Candles are handed out at the Northeast Philly vigil for conservative activist Charlie Kirk. A man in an Eagles pullover helps two older women light theirs. (Ben Bennett\/Billy Penn)<\/p>\n

Fans of the conservative activist chalked up these conflicting perspectives<\/a> simply as a difference of opinion.<\/p>\n

Kirk\u2019s death sparked memorials across America and worldwide. This vigil was the second in three days in Philadelphia \u2014 another was held<\/a> at Marconi Plaza on Monday, Sept. 15 \u2014 and the first in the Northeast, the most conservative voting block of the city.<\/p>\n

This theme of togetherness was a common thread of Wednesday\u2019s vigil.<\/p>\n

Republican State Sen. Joe Picozzi, who had promoted<\/a> the event on social media in the days leading up to the vigil, was the first to address the crowd. He called for everyone \u201cto pray together as a community, to share, to make this a moment of love.\u201d<\/p>\n

The first-term senator then offered the microphone to anyone who wanted to speak. Among the orators was a self-described \u201cJan. 6 political prisoner,\u201d who called Kirk \u201can American hero.\u201d<\/p>\n

The speeches culminated in a group prayer, led by Father Joseph Zaleski.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u2018There really is no hate\u2019<\/p>\n

A cross adorned Leanne Wiedmayer\u2019s black shirt. She echoed the religious sentiments heard throughout the evening. The 52-year-old Tacony resident also said that she has no ill will towards people on the political left.<\/p>\n

Instead, she said, they are influenced by \u201ca lot of dark propaganda,\u201d and she hopes that God reveals the truth to them.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe do love them and we do pray for them and we do hope for their souls,\u201d Wiedmayer said. \u201cThere really is no hate.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"Charlie Kirk vigil attendees in Northeast Philly hold their candles, listening to speakers. (Ben Bennett\/Billy Penn)<\/p>\n

Many at the vigil held this sentiment, and claimed they had no problem with Democrats or anyone on the left, for that matter.\u00a0 These supporters of Kirk hoped his death might be a uniting factor, pointing to the fact that Kirk engaged with those he disagreed with.<\/p>\n

Speakers and attendees said that the activist\u2019s death should make people realize that both sides aren\u2019t as different as they think.<\/p>\n

Among the speakers was the conservative influencer danielspeaksup<\/a>, who has more than 200,000 followers on Tiktok and had also attended the recent gathering in South Philadelphia.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Daniel said the most important thing we need right now is unity, and that when freedom of speech is under attack for any single person, everyone is at risk. The conservative TikToker attributed to Kirk the idea that violence happens when people stop talking.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou don\u2019t have to like everything that he says, but going forward, let\u2019s have that conversation as Americans,\u201d Daniel said.<\/p>\n

Before the gathering, Jeff Schwartz walked his bike through Fluehr Park, noting the growing number of red MAGA hats in the parking lot. The Torresdale resident said he was unaware of the vigil.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt sucks that he died, but he was a hatemonger,\u201d Schwartz said. \u201cTo see celebrations for him isn\u2019t great.\u201d<\/p>\n

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