Charlie Kirk welcomed to Albuquerque with applause and protests

A couple thousand people — including many in their teens and 20s — came to the Legacy Church’s Central Campus in Albuquerque on Sunday to listen to conservative activist and podcaster Charlie Kirk address issues ranging from immigration to the housing crisis to Christianity to crime.

After Kirk, 31, was introduced at “Freedom Night in America,” a female guest told Kirk to go “expletive” himself. He told the woman he hopes she gives her life to Jesus Christ. The rest of the hour-and-a-half-long event continued in front of a predominantly friendly crowd.

Legacy Church also live-streamed the event.

The event was billed as “a call for Christians to rise, uniting pastors and congregations to boldly put our faith into action,” according to the Turning Point USA website.

Kirk immediately addressed the latest episode of “South Park,” in which character Eric Cartman impersonated Kirk at a campus event and took questions from a crowd as he defended his stance on abortion.

Kirk laughed about the impersonation.

“We as conservatives can take a joke, unlike the left who take themselves too seriously,” Kirk said.

Regarding immigration, Kirk said people should assimilate into the United States and learn English.

“This is the place you are willing to bleed for, die for. This is your new homeland,” Kirk said.

Guest Amanda Padilla said she has seen Kirk speak multiple times because “she believes in what he stands for.”

Albuquerque resident Daniel Arreola, 21, said he came to listen.

“I’m just curious since I see him on my social media all the time,” Arreola said. “I just want to see what he says. I’m more neutral, I guess.”

But there were almost 100 people who congregated outside the church to protest Kirk’s appearance.

Some carried posters that read “what church welcomes hate” and “there is no hate like Christian love” as they voiced their displeasure at the church for inviting Kirk, the co-founder of Turning Point USA, a conservative youth organization.

“He stands for pretty much everything I am against,” protester Gillian Labe said, “and we want to make it known that we don’t want him in our city.”

Kirk has appeared in Albuquerque a couple of times in the past, and each time he was met with protesters.

“We’re here to send the message that no matter how many times he’s going to come back,” protester Zoey Craft said, “we’re going to continue to be here to oppose him and the kind of pain that he is doing and everything that he’s standing for.”

Toward the end of the event, a guest asked Kirk about property rights for Native Americans on federal land. Kirk said Native Americans are addicted to government benefits. Kirk was also asked if he planned to one day run for president to which he responded his “mission right now is to defend the Trump administration and get JD Vance elected as the next president of the United States in 2028.”

Kirk ended the event by saying, “I love this state. I hate what they’ve done with it.”