A vigil honoring the late conservative activist Charlie Kirk ended earlier than expected Thursday, Sept. 18, after numerous counter-protesters surprised many at the event.
Organizer and MAGA Nation supporter Brian Foley claims the event ended early due to safety concerns: “Out of an abundance of caution, and at the recommendation of Boston’s Special Operations Unit, we concluded the evening earlier than planned,” Foley posted to Facebook late Thursday evening.
The Vigil
Held on the Boston Common, the vigil was filled to the brim with Christian conservatives mourning the loss of Kirk. Many held back tears; some carried candles or signs that read “We are all Charlie Kirk now,” and “Now is the turning point.” One sign, held by a large number of mourners, said, “Well done, good and faithful servant.” The verse is a reference to the Bible, specifically Matthew 25:23, and encapsulated the general mood among the vigil’s crowd.
Andy Groh, a volunteer with MA 4 Fair Elections and a supporter of Foley, agreed to speak with the Voice before the vigil.
“I think the way [Kirk] did [debates] was special in that he really went into places where he knew there could be abrasive reactions and just welcomed dialogue,” said Groh. “That more than anything, I think he was just trying to embrace dialogue with people that didn’t agree with him.”
He told the Voice that even after his death, Kirk’s legacy and purpose still stand strong among conservatives: “It’s just to continue what he started,” Groh said regarding the movement’s next steps. “I think a lot of people are even more emboldened.”
The Protest
At the beginning of the vigil, the number of counter-protesters was scarce, wearing mostly black masks that obscured their identities. Some wore keffiyehs to symbolize solidarity with the pro-Palestinian movement, a stark contrast to vigil attendees who waved Israeli flags along to songs written in Kirk’s honor.
The mood among this group was different from that of the mourners: quiet, on guard, stoic. No one was willing to speak to the Voice about the cause, almost as a kind of unspoken rule, and no one claimed to know who organized the counter-demonstration.
According to its Instagram profile, @617hatewatch, the group’s purpose is: “Organizing, researching, documenting, reporting, and educating against hate group activity in Boston and Greater Boston.”
A flyer posted to the account detailed the protest’s information, though written anonymously.
“Fascists are using the de@th of CK and vigils nationwide as a platform to promote a racist and fascist agenda,” says the post. “These ‘vigils’ also create a recruiting ground for at-risk youth with racist and hateful tendencies. Noise demo and music demo against hate at 6:30 p.m. Boston Common. Mask up, wear black, be sexy, have fun, and MAKE SOME NOISE.”
Growing Tensions
As the night went on, the number of protesters grew, as did their voices. Officers with the Boston Police Department (BPD), who were previously on standby, were now spread across the gates that separated the opposing sides.
Groh told the Voice before the event began he was not aware of the counter-demonstration group coming in, and his response was simple: just ignore it.
“We don’t want any trouble. We want to do our business and the people that are here to focus on Charlie Kirk’s death and his movement. Whatever goes around us, goes around us. We don’t want to engage in it.”
Another vigil attendee and organizer of the Presidential Inaugural Prayer Breakfast, the Rev. Merrie Turner, said she was aware of the group just outside the vigil. She told the Voice that protesters “physically blocked” her: “They actually tried to prevent me from coming into the event. I wasn’t very nice to them,” she laughed.
As the counter-demonstration became mobile, the group made its way to the street running parallel to where the vigil’s speakers stood. The night took on a surreal tone as the rival groups came face to face with one another. “Off our streets, Nazi scum,” came from the protesters, while the vigil attendees clung to the gate in quiet observance.
As the protesters moved throughout the Common, two were stopped and arrested. Their crime, Boston Police told the Voice while at the scene, was kneeling down and rifling through a bag. Police say apprehension of this kind is typical of any protest, as it signals suspicion of an explosive device or similar items.
Did Anyone ‘Win’?
The vigil was canceled shortly after it began. Foley declared the event a resounding success with over 5,000 attendees: “Let me be absolutely clear, this was not a surrender, and it was not intimidation,” he posted to Facebook. “Our voices were heard, our message was delivered, and our presence was undeniable.”
Although no formal statement of success was sent out by the counter-protesters, the early shutdown of the vigil is technically a victory for the group. A recap of the event was posted to the anonymous page, showing the events of the night.
Just days after the vigil and counterprotest took place, President Donald Trump formally declared Antifa a “domestic terrorist organization” in an executive order. Antifa, short for “anti-fascist”, is a left wing political activist group with chapters all over the U.S.. They specialize in nonviolent methods of protest, such as flyer campaigns and protest marches.
A post made by Foley detailed that no one attending the vigil was injured. No posts have been made by the BPD to confirm this information.
The Voice has reached out to the BPD to obtain arrest records and has not received a response at the time of publication.
Student Reactions via Yik Yak
Simmons University students had mixed reviews while reacting to Kirk’s death. On Yik Yak, an app designed for students to anonymously connect with peers in their academic community, students expressed feelings of both empathy and relief at the conservative activist’s death.
“Definitely think empathy for the family members are important,” said one post. “Especially because they didn’t make themselves a political target the way Charlie did.” The post began with empathy for Kirk’s family, but quickly turned to an overall review of the activist’s life and its consequences. The statement continued in the comment section:
“[What] Charlie Kirk did is entirely unforgivable. Especially to minorities. When someone who has damaged so many people, so many communities, passes, it’s hard to feel anything but relief.”
Many posters found it difficult to feel any empathy at all toward the event. For example, in a separate post, one student said: “Crazy to me how many people are saying not to make light of Charlie Kirk’s death. He didn’t care when women, children, or minorities died, so whyyy should we give af about him?”
All in all, various students of Simmons University have spoken, and many are not feeling quite as mournful as those attending the vigil.
