Charlie Kirk vigil draws 400 mourners to Toowoomba memorial service

Hundreds of Toowoomba residents have attended a vigil to remember polarising right-wing influencer Charlie Kirk, with organisers saying his death served as a reminder of why open debate must be protected no matter people’s political leanings.

More than 400 people gathered in Toowoomba on Sunday night for a solemn vigil honouring political influencer and proud Christian, Charlie Kirk, whose assassination during a college debate in Utah last week sparked global grief and controversy.

A staunch conservative who held predominantly right-wing views on abortions, gun control and immigration, Kirk’s death has led to a wave of grief from supporters including United States President Donald Trump.

However, his passing has also drawn condemnation from detractors, with some even celebrating his death.

Organiser of the Toowoomba vigil Krystle Wright said it was now more important than ever to facilitate friendly debate.

The vigil organised by local resident Krystle Wright was one of many held across the country and provided a space for the community to mourn Kirk’s loss and reflect on his legacy. Wright, a proud Christian, described the event as a deeply personal moment for many in the Christian community.

“A lot of us in the Christian community took it personally when this happened to Charlie Kirk,” she said.

“We wanted a space to mourn Charlie Kirk, someone we felt was precious to our community despite never meeting him in person.

“More importantly, we wanted to honour his commitment to open and respectful dialogue.

400 people attended the Charlie Kirk Vigil in Toowoomba

Ms Wright said the vigil hosted people from both side of the political spectrum who believed everyone had the right to their opinion.

“At the end of the day radicalisation is caused by a lack of debates, this is no longer about being left or right, it’s about humanity,” she said.

“There were a lot of people who didn't have a Christian faith but loved Charlie because he reminded us that conversations need to be had.

“We have a verse in the bible that says ‘iron sharpens iron’ it means we need to sharpen each other through respectful debate and challenging each other’s ideas.”

A Charlie Kirk vigil was flown over Gold Coast. Contributed.

She urged people to get out from behind their computers and engage in face to face debate.

“He would always say ‘when discourse ends, violence begins’, radicalisation happens when people surround themselves with an echo chamber which doesn't allow them to consider another side to their belief system,” she said.

“Social media has desensitised us to each other’s humanity. It’s so easy to get on the keyboard and say something harsh because we forget there is a human on the other side. “We seem to have lost the ability to see the human in front of us and separate them from their beliefs.”

Organiser of the Toowoomba vigil Krystle Wright said people across the political spectrum attended the vigil.

Ms Wright said she was calling for respectful discourse and unity during the difficult time.

“Moving forward lets be brave enough to talk to people we don’t agree with, I have many friends who have the complete opposite beliefs as me but we have a good friendship because we can have conversations without attacking people,” she said.

“Be more focused on understanding the person in front of you without wanting to prove yourself right.”