More than 100 residents packed the Downers Grove Village Council chamber on Sept. 16 to hold an unofficial tribute to slain conservative activist Charlie Kirk after local officials denied a formal moment of silence, sparking frustration and debate over political divisions in the community.
Local resident Chick Briner, who wore a t-shirt reading “I am Charlie!” while speaking at the meeting, said she made the formal request during a recent “Coffee with the Council” event but was turned down by Mayor Robert T. Barnett and Commissioners Leslie Sadowski-Fugitt, Christopher Gilmartin, and Tammy Sarver.
“I asked if we could do a minute of silence for Charlie Kirk at the Tuesday council meeting. I was told, absolutely not,” Briner told DuPage Policy Journal. “Interesting that you spoke about hate, but would not allow a minute of silence for a victim of hate. Need I say hypocrisy?”
Mayor Robert T. Barnett and Commissioners Leslie Sadowski-Fugitt, Christopher Gilmartin and Tammy Sarver declined a request for an official moment of silence honoring slain activist Charlie Kirk.
| downers.u
During the public comment period, Downers Grove resident Christine Martin led an informal tribute. Over 100 attendees stood with her as she led the group in the Lord’s Prayer.
“I'm here tonight to express my respect and gratitude for Charlie Kirk,” Martin said. “He was a man who in his short 31 years accomplished more good than few do in a lifetime. I grieve for him along with millions and millions of people here in the United States and around the world.”
Martin continued, “Charlie loved Christ and he stood for truth. He captured the youth of America by imploring them to think critically for themselves as opposed to being taught what to think.”
As the group bowed their heads, members of local groups — Equality Downers Grove, the You Belong Campaign, and Not in Our Town Downers Grove — either left the chambers or spoke out during the prayer, according to Briner.
Briner described the disruption: “Three people in the front row who were there with the ‘proclamation of hate’—they had written it and fed it to the mayor. They live in the community. Two of them jumped up, one of whom was wearing a mask.”
She added, “That one ran out of the room, ran for the door and went out. The other one started jumping up and down and shouting, ‘You can't do this, this isn't a church!’ The third one got up and walked out, probably because she couldn't run.”
Charlie Kirk, co-founder of Turning Point USA, was assassinated on Sept. 10 during a university event in Utah. He was 31.
Kirk was born in Arlington Heights, raised in Prospect Heights, and launched his political career as a student at Wheeling High School. At 18, he founded Turning Point USA in a garage in Lemont.
Briner said she met Kirk in 2012 when he was starting Turning Point USA.
“He was just 18. My husband and I have never forgotten him, so sharp, so driven, so committed to free thought,” she said. “He was the kind of kid who taught himself how to think, not what to think.”
Other residents also spoke during the meeting. Carlotta Hickman, a Downers Grove resident, urged the council to hold a moment of silence for Kirk.
“Charlie Kirk was exercising his civil rights when he was killed in cold blood,” Hickman said. “Because life is sacred and exercising our freedom of speech are so essential to our Constitution. We the people implore you to have the common basic decency and to have a moment of silence and respect for Charlie Kirk and the Constitution.”
Mayor Barnett called for civility during the meeting and asked attendees to respect each speaker’s time at the podium.
Briner noted that the mayor had issued proclamations for other occasions but declined to recognize Kirk.
“You've got all these days for this, days for that,” Briner said. “Why not a Charlie Kirk Day, or a Charlie Kirk Week, or a Charlie Kirk Month?”
She also responded to objections about setting limits on recognitions.
“They say, ‘Where do we draw the line?’ You don't have to draw the line anywhere,” she said. “Honor them all. Every week have someone that's been slain by murder, by hate. Honor them.”
Briner commented on the political leanings of some council members, singling out Commissioner Sadowski-Fugitt.
Sadowski-Fugitt has been involved in recent partisan exchanges, including accusing conservative radio host Dan Proft of inciting online harassment.
Proft responded on social media, criticizing what he described as a double standard in local politics.
“It’s not okay for me to support GOP candidates, but it’s okay for her and her fellow travelers to support Leftist candidates,” Proft posted on X.
He later wrote, “The only thing more pathetic than her ignorance and immaturity are those in Downers Grove who won't stand up to her and people like her.”
No council members publicly responded to Briner’s comments during the meeting.
Briner said the turnout for the tribute showed significant local support.
“The fact that we had a hundred people just made it all mute—silenced them all because we had a lot of people there,” she said.
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