Coalition for Democracy holds vigil in honor of victims of gun violence following Charlie Kirk’s death
NILES, Mich. – A silent vigil was held Monday afternoon in downtown Niles, as members of the Coalition for Democracy Southwest Michigan gathered to call for an end to gun violence, not like their typical protests, but with silence and reflection.
Organizers emphasized that the event was not political, but rather to honor all lives lost to gun violence, including Charlie Kirk.
“We thought about canceling,” said Jim Pedersen, a member of the Coalition for Democracy Southwest Michigan. “But we thought it’d be useful to have a quieter, more muted sense of self-reflection for all victims of gun violence. We’re calling our congressman to do at the federal level what we’ve done here in Michigan.”
Participants, who were asked to dress in black as a symbol of mourning and solidarity, stood on a busy street corner outside Representative Tim Walberg’s Niles office, where the group meets bi-monthly.
The group, originally formed following the re-election of President Donald Trump, but Monday their message was different.
Attendees said the demonstration was not about Kirk’s politics, but about condemning violence and hateful rhetoric in all forms, regardless of political affiliation or ideology.
“The empathy that we wish he had for certain groups in his life we need to show that in our responses here,” said Gherik Maverick, who also attended the vigil.
Maverick said Monday they hoped to humanize all those affected by violence, no matter their beliefs.
“We can recognize the words and actions that someone took in their life, but we can also keep our politics centered around human beings and understand that this was a human being who was tragically killed in front of his family and thousands of people,” he added.
Despite some concerns over safety following, the Coalition for Democracy said it will to continue holding its bi-monthly gatherings in the same location in hopes of sparking change.
Representative Walberg responded to the demonstration in a statement adding,
“This organization’s leadership has been pushing debunked conspiracy theories online in an attempt to rewrite the facts surrounding Charlie Kirk’s assassination. These conspiracies blame conservatives for this domestic terrorism, while simultaneously demonizing Kirk with similar rhetoric used by the assassin. Instead, this should be a time for reflection, reconciliation, and honesty. I’ll continue to reject these conspiracy theories, while also working with colleagues on either side of the aisle to help deter violence –whether politically motivated or not. Working together and protecting constitutional rights of law-abiding Americans, we must give law enforcement the tools they need to deter crime, encourage prosecutors to hold criminals accountable, and come together as Americans to wholeheartedly reject the divisive lies.”