Tens of thousands of mourners arrived in droves at State Farm Stadium in Arizona on Sunday to remember conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
Turning Point USA, the nonprofit Kirk cofounded, invited members of the public to attend his memorial service. He was assassinated during a speaking event on September 10.
Worship music played as attendees filed into the 60,000-seat stadium wearing red, white, and blue, as requested by Turning Point USA. Thousands of seats were also set up outside the stadium.
President Donald Trump is expected to attend the memorial service alongside several members of his cabinet, including Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Director of National Intelligence Tusli Gabbard, and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. Prominent conservative figures like Tucker Carlson will also participate in the event.
Turning Point USA told local authorities that more than 200,000 people registered to attend the memorial service, The New York Times reported.
Kirk advocated conservative beliefs on college campuses and was influential among young people on the right. Many found his comments about immigrants, trans rights, and feminism intolerant and divisive, however.
In the wake of his death, public comments critical of Kirk, or even ones celebrating his death, forced many companies, like Microsoft and Delta Air Lines, to discipline or fire employees for what they said was a violation of company values.