Sold-out crowd packs Turning Point event at University of Minnesota following Charlie Kirk’s assassination

Popular conservative commentator Michael Knowles told the audience that those wishing to honor his friend Charlie Kirk should "go to church, read the Bible, pray, and do it right now."

By
Hank Long
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Left: Michael Knowles speaks to a sold-out crowd in Northrop Auditorium (Turning Point USA); Right: A photo of Charlie Kirk stands outside the entrance to the event (Liz Collin/Alpha News)

A sold-out crowd of supporters of Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk gathered at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis on Monday evening to mourn and celebrate the conservative activist who was assassinated less than two weeks ago while he was headlining a similar campus event in Utah.

The Northrop Auditorium on the U of M campus was the first venue to host the organization’s “This Is The Turning Point Tour” following Kirk’s murder on Sept. 10.

The event was originally billed as a double headliner of Kirk and his friend and fellow conservative political commentator Michael Knowles. After Kirk was murdered, Knowles made it clear he intended to carry on with the tour in Minneapolis as planned.

“Charlie accomplished more in his 31 years than most people could accomplish in many lifetimes,” Knowles said in his opening remarks on Monday, which set a somber tone for an evening that eventually gave way to spirited political debate. “His most public accomplishments were political. His most important were religious. He wanted to be remembered for his faith.

“He wanted to help as many souls to heaven as he could. If you want to honor Charlie, go to church, read the Bible, pray, and do it right now,” Knowles continued.

Knowles opened the floor up several times to dialogue with the audience on a number of political topics, including one that was top of mind for all in attendance, “What do we do now?” in the aftermath of Kirk’s assassination.

“We should forgive our enemies’ trespasses and prevent our enemies from trespassing again in the future,” Knowles said.

Knowles added that during the public memorial for Kirk on Sunday, Erika Kirk expressed that she had forgiven the man who is accused of murdering her husband. He also pointed out that the man charged with Kirk’s murder is likely to face the death penalty.

“There is no contradiction between those two things,” he said.

 

Knowles engages with audience on Jimmy Kimmel suspension

In what proved to be a highlight of the q-and-a portion, one audience member suggested that the Trump administration had unduly influenced ABC’s decision to suspend the “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” program.

“When you’re asking me if the ends justify the means, your suggesting there is a kind of hypocrisy here,” Knowles said. “There is no hypocrisy to the FCC regulating broadcast networks. That’s the point.”

Knowles also addressed the audience member’s contention that Kimmel never said anything untrue about Kirk’s assassination.

“Jimmy Kimmel said that the shooter was a MAGA Republican and that’s a lie,” Knowles said.

A small group of protesters gathered outside the event but no major public safety issues were reported.

Far-left Minneapolis politician says it was an ‘absurd decision’ by U of M

One politician who represents the university area on the Minneapolis City Council issued a statement prior to the event, saying it should never have been allowed to take place.

“Tonight [the university] is hosting an event with Turning Point USA, a far-right conservative group founded by Charlie Kirk,” said Minneapolis City Council member Robin Wonsley, who is well known for her far-left politics and affiliation with the Democratic Socialists of America. “This is an absurd decision by [the university] administration and threatens the safety of our students and our community as a whole.”

A few instances of political agitation outside the event were captured by media outlets on site, including a masked protester who carried a sign that read, “How’s that 2nd Amendment taste, Charlie? IRONY? We need gun reform now!” Another protester held a sign calling Kirk a Nazi.

Nearby, supporters of Kirk peacefully gathered, many wearing red Make America Great Again caps or t-shirts honoring Kirk’s legacy and that of the organization he built from the ground up to one that features more than 900 chapters on college campuses across America.

Prior to the event, University of Minnesota President Rebecca Cunningham emailed students and staff to inform them that the university “updated our safety protocols to take every precaution warranted to ensure safety for all.”

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Hank Long
Hank Long

Hank Long is a journalism and communications professional whose writing career includes coverage of the Minnesota legislature, city and county governments and the commercial real estate industry. Hank received his undergraduate degree at the University of Minnesota, where he studied journalism, and his law degree at the University of St. Thomas. The Minnesota native lives in the Twin Cities with his wife and four children. His dream is to be around when the Vikings win the Super Bowl.

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