A towering life-sized statue honoring Charlie Kirk is scheduled to be unveiled in New York City’s Times Square on Sept. 10, exactly one year after the Turning Point USA co-founder was assassinated, in what the sculptor says is meant to be both a memorial and a statement in defense of free speech.
The monument was created by Sergio Furnari, a sculptor born in Sicily who has spent the past 35 years living in New York. He said the unveiling is planned for 2:23 p.m., the exact time Kirk was shot and killed while addressing a campus gathering at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah, one year earlier.
“You know, I’m a New Yorker, so Times Square is like La Piazza,” Furnari told the New York Post. “Everything happens in the city, in the center of the town.”
Although he has not revealed the precise location where the statue will stand, Furnari said it will be displayed “really high on a truck so that everybody can see.”
Promoting the event on Instagram, Furnari wrote: “It’s going to be in the middle of Times Square, the center of the universe.”
He also encouraged those who admired Kirk to attend the ceremony, saying, “If you were a big fan of Charlie, this will be your opportunity to maybe find a little bit of peace or harmony.”
The sculpture portrays Kirk holding a microphone while wearing a sweatshirt bearing the word “FREEDOM,” a tribute to the campus speeches and debates that helped make him one of America’s best-known conservative activists.
Furnari explained that the current version was constructed with a metal framework and industrial resin, though he hopes to eventually recreate it in stainless steel so it is “bulletproof.”
The artist emphasized that his motivation was rooted in defending the principle of free expression rather than endorsing Kirk’s political views.
“It’s not like I was a fan or somebody that followed him. Actually, I didn’t agree with many of his things, but it’s about freedom of speech,” he told the Post.
Kirk, 31, was murdered on Sept. 10, 2025, while speaking before a large audience at Utah Valley University. His death sparked nationwide attention, leading to tributes from conservative figures across the country and renewed discussions about political violence and security at public events.
After co-founding Turning Point USA in 2012, Kirk helped build it into one of the nation’s largest conservative youth organizations, establishing chapters on high school and college campuses while organizing major political conferences and voter engagement initiatives.
Meanwhile, the criminal prosecution of the man accused of carrying out the killing continues in Utah. Tyler Robinson has been charged with aggravated murder, and prosecutors are seeking the death penalty.
Earlier this month, prosecutors wrapped up a weeklong preliminary hearing in which they introduced surveillance video, forensic evidence, and witness testimony they say connects Robinson to the shooting. Defense attorneys disputed the credibility of critical DNA and ballistic evidence.
Closing arguments are scheduled for Sept. 1 before Utah state District Judge Tony Graf, who will decide whether prosecutors have presented enough evidence for the case to move forward to trial.
If everything proceeds as planned, the Times Square unveiling will take place on the first anniversary of Kirk’s assassination and is expected to attract supporters from across the country. Furnari said he hopes the memorial will honor Kirk’s legacy while serving as a lasting symbol of the importance of free speech.
{Matzav.com}