A small street that runs parallel to the Vietnam War Memorial in Westminster will soon bear a new name — Charlie Kirk Way.
During a heated meeting rife with accusations of partisan politics and debate over the role of local government, leaders in the Orange County city voted 4 to 1 Wednesday to partially rename All American Way for the slain conservative activist. Kirk’s name will appear in 3-inch font below the official street name.
Mayor Chi Charlie Nguyen, a Republican who is running for Congress next year, brought forth the change because he said Kirk “reflects the values that make Westminster truly special: pride in our country, belief in our freedom and the spirit of civic engagement.”
Kirk, a founder of Turning Point USA and one of the Republican Party’s most influential figures, was fatally shot by a sniper at Utah Valley University in September.
The death of the 31-year-old, who rejoiced in the back and forth of debates, has triggered a range of emotions and nationwide discussions about how to memorialize the conservative icon.
In Villa Park, a high school teacher allegedly removed a memorial to Kirk that was set up by students. In Calabasas, a teacher was placed on leave after officials said she was linked to a social media post allegedly likening Kirk to a Nazi who “got what he deserved.”
In Huntington Beach, another Orange County city frequently at the center of national culture war debates, a September memorial for Kirk at the pier took a dark turn when a group of men joined the crowd chanting, “White men fight back.”
Westminster Vice Mayor Carlos Manzo, the lone Democrat on the dais and the sole vote against designating the street in Kirk’s honor, at times appeared at a loss for words over Nguyen’s proposal. He said it was inappropriate given that Kirk didn’t live in Westminster and had no ties to the community. He accused his colleagues of exploiting Kirk’s death to score political points.
“That’s what you’re doing — exploiting a tragedy for political gain,” he said. “You’re going to go out there and campaign with it and say, ‘Look, I got this done in my city.’”
Councilmember Amy Phan West, on the other hand, criticized the small font on the street sign as an inadequate way to honor Kirk. A separate proposal she introduced to designate Oct.14 — Kirk’s birthday — as Charlie Kirk Day in the city also passed on Wednesday.
“I’d like to take this opportunity to recognize Charlie Kirk as an American patriot and a steadfast champion for freedom of speech,” she said. “His commitment to protecting the principle of open dialogue and opposing tyranny has been a significant impact on our nation’s conversation.”
Manzo chastised his colleagues for forcing Westminster into a national political debate rather than focusing on the city’s fiscal challenges and making life better for residents, a complaint echoed by many residents who spoke at the meeting. At one point, Manzo said West and Nguyen were trying to “out Republican each other.”
Replacing the street signs to add Kirk’s name is expected to cost $3,000, according to a city staff report.
Westminster has faced its share of fiscal challenges in recent years and in 2022 appeared on the brink of financial collapse. That year, residents voted to extend the city’s 1% sales tax until 2043 to help shore up the city’s budget. Without the funds, Westminster was projected to go bankrupt by 2024, even with drastic cuts.
“The fact that you are using our tax dollars for your pet projects, your partisan politics, is bull—,” resident Tami Hammell said during the meeting. “Stop stealing our time and money with your crap. Get back to all city business and not your partisan business.”
