Event drew more than 500 people who traversed an 80-mile route between Medford, Grants Pass and Applegate Valley
By Buffy Pollock, Rogue Valley Times
Several hundred motorcycles, cars, tow trucks and other vehicles assembled at the North Medford Walmart parking lot Saturday to launch a memorial ride honoring Charlie Kirk, the slain CEO and co-founder of the conservative youth organization Turning Point USA.
The memorial ride was one of a handful of events announced within days of the shooting Sept. 10 that occurred at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah. A suspect, 22-year-old Tyler James Robinson of Washington, Utah, is in custody.
Other local events were planned on Sunday.
Kirk was known for his visits to college campuses and organizing for Republicans, engaging with students on a host of political issues, and he was also known for his widely disseminated conservative views.
Sams Valley residents Lance Kengle and Central Point resident Britni Holland organized Saturday’s event, which Kengle said originally involved fewer than two dozen bikers who planned to attend.
On Saturday, before the 12:30 p.m. ride, more than 500 had gathered, decked out in American flags, T-shirts and holding banners and signs. Kengle addressed the crowd, acknowledging emotions were high and outlined the route for the event, which he promoted as peaceful.
At one point, an SUV drove past the crowd yelling expletives, declaring, “F*** Charlie Kirk!” Holland responded with, “We’ll pray for you!”
“We don’t want any more hatefulness,” Holland said later.
“I just said I’d pray for them, and I meant it. … This is just an emotional time because so many people valued Charlie and what he stood for.”
Following the parking lot gathering, bikers and other drivers drove an 80-mile route that traversed the Applegate and parts of Interstate 5 and met up with a second group in Grants Pass. The route was modified to avoid confrontation with groups opposed to the demonstration.
Kengle, a veteran and biker, said he had been the subject of vitriol after announcing the event but that it was “heartwarming to see so many people show up for community.”
“I’ve never been called a Nazi in my life until the last two days,” he said. “The name-calling and other stuff. … It’s crazy. We just won’t stoop to that level because it wouldn’t take a lot for people to break right now and that isn’t what this was about.”
Isaac “Thor” Dahl, a tow truck driver for Goodfellas Towing, said participating in the ride for him was apolitical.
“Whatever your political beliefs are, a good person was killed and it was unnecessary. If you ever actually watched his videos, he came to his debates with just facts and willing to let anyone speak their mind,” Dahl said.
“I’m not a political person myself. I just try to listen to both sides and pay attention. Unfortunately, politics are tearing up families and communities right now. … You have to ask, what’s stronger, a divided community or a united one?”
Grants Pass resident Jonathan Inbody, who said he identified politically “toward the middle,” said he attended to “see how it went.” “Coming out today was spur of the moment for me. I was supposed to be cutting firewood, but I decided to come see how it went,” he said.
As to the death of Kirk and community reaction, Inbody noted, “I feel like people need to take a breath first.”
Reach reporter Buffy Pollock at 458-488-2029 or bpollock@rv-times.com. Follow her on Twitter @orwritergal. This story first appeared in the Rogue Valley Times.
