Budapest Bids Farewell to Charlie Kirk

On Budapest’s Szabadság Square, in front of the Ronald Reagan statue, conservative activist Charlie Kirk was honored in a farewell ceremony on Sunday evening, prior to his funeral.

Gergely Huth, editor-in-chief of Pesti Srácok, said at the commemoration:

This is a matter that goes beyond party lines — that we must not allow people who represent national and patriotic ideas to be destroyed or attacked.”

“We must stand up for one another, say no to violence, because this politics of hatred is being seen all over the world, aimed at conservative, Christian, national, patriotic ideals,” he added. In his view, “unchecked left-wing incitement is present everywhere.” Huth emphasized: “Democracy exists so that we can debate our issues, so that there are many platforms; but this kind of left-wing hate tsunami must be rejected, we must say a firm no to it.”

Photo of Charlie Kirk at the Budapest memorial at the Ronald Reagan statue. Photo: MTI/Koszticsák Szilárd

George Spöttle, a security policy expert, said he too was shaken by the news of Charlie Kirk’s murder. “Like any normal person — and I do not just mean conservatives — but anyone who simply loves their fellow human beings, who reject hatred and violence, and the kind of hate-mongering that right now is coming from the left.” He added that “the left has run out of arguments.”

He also noted that

while the assassin was armed with a hunting rifle equipped with a scope, Charlie Kirk’s weapons were his words and ideas, which in a democracy, including in the United States, are protected and free.”

“And that is what the aggressive left does not like: that we say what we think,” he declared.

Photo: MTI/Koszticsák Szilárd

Dániel István, political influencer and vlogger, emphasized that Charlie Kirk was not a politician, but “one of us” — an influencer, an opinion-shaper who persuaded people. “He went from university to university, could argue extremely well, could talk to anyone about anything — and at some point, he became dangerous, when he managed to shift the opinions of about 19% of college students,” he said.

At the same time, a public commemoration accompanied by candle lighting was held at another location in the capital, in front of St. Stephen’s Basilica.

Participants at the Budapest commemoration held in front of St. Stephen’s Basilica. Photo: MTI/Hatházi Tamás

Fact

Charlie Kirk was shot on September 10 at a college in Utah, during a speaking event. The 31-year-old right-wing political activist had been holding outdoor debates on university campuses across the country to defend conservative values.

The murdered activist was laid to rest on Sunday in Glendale, Arizona. According to local reports, the State Farm Stadium, which hosted the ceremony, was filled to capacity, as was a smaller hall where people could follow the event on a screen — yet tens of thousands still remained outside. U.S. President Donald Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance both gave speeches at the memorial.

Candlelight Vigil in Budapest Honors Conservative Influencer Charlie Kirk