ELIZABETH CITY — Elizabeth City has become the latest community to find itself at the intersection of faith, free speech, and public art.

Two petitions—one supporting and one opposing a proposed downtown street mural honoring conservative activist Charlie Kirk—are circulating ahead of the City Council’s October 27 meeting, where the public comment portion of the meeting, well … that may generate some headlines since folks are likely to share their thoughts, pro and con.

That’s OK because as Kirk would say, “Change my mind” when exchanging ideas within the freeflow of debate which tends to scare some people.

The debate centers on a request to paint a large public mural of Kirk on East Colonial Avenue, a bustling stretch in downtown Elizabeth City.

Supporters say the mural would celebrate Kirk’s advocacy for free speech and Christian faith.

Opponents say it would politicize public art and alienate residents in a diverse community.

According to organizers, more than 1,100 people have signed in favor of the Kirk mural, while at least 1,700 have signed against it. As of Wednesday, both petitions continue to gather signatures online and at local businesses.

Click this link to the petition in support of the mural.

Click this link to the petition against the mural.

If folks want to address the matter — pro or con — during the public comment portion of the next Elizabeth City Council meeting, council meets at 7 p.m. Monday, Oct. 27 in the municipal building at 302 East Colonial Avenue.

More about East Colonial Avenue’s Black Lives Matter mural appears further down in the story.

A “Tribute to Courage and Faith”

The proposal, submitted by local Turning Point USA (TPUSA) supporter Steven Young, seeks council approval to create what he describes as “a vibrant mural celebrating Charlie Kirk’s life and message.”

Noting the Black Lives Matter street mural, “City council set a precedent back in 2021 by allowing street murals on East Colonial Avenue,” he said.

Kirk, the founder of Turning Point USA, died on September 10 in what supporters have called a political assassination while speaking at Utah Valley University. He was 32.

Nation saw the video — tragic, shocking. Most folks were empathetic, compassionate, while others were disturbingly less so.

Kirk’s death reverberated through conservative and Christian circles as well as people from all walks of life across the country, prompting candlelight vigils, including one in Elizabeth City on September 12 that drew several hundred people.

In their petition, supporters describe Kirk as a “fearless champion of free speech, faith, and conservative values,” and characterize his death as martyrdom “for sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ.”

They envision a bold, colorful mural featuring Kirk’s name and a cross, symbolizing his Christian faith. The mural would include a QR code linking to some of Kirk’s speeches and interviews, allowing passersby to “hear his voice echo once more.”

The proposal estimates the cost between $10,000 and $20,000, to be funded through grassroots donations, crowdfunding, and support from Turning Point USA. Annual repainting events would involve local students and TPUSA members “to keep the mural vibrant,” Young wrote.

“Our city needs reminders of courage and conviction,” the petition states. “Charlie stood for liberty, free markets, and faith in the face of censorship. This mural would ensure that message endures.”

Supporters argue that East Colonial Avenue, with its heavy foot traffic and proximity to local colleges, is an ideal location. They describe the project as an opportunity for Elizabeth City “to unite around shared values of faith and freedom,” while also boosting tourism.

From the petition:

Charlie Kirk made an impact not only in the lives of young people but people of all ages around the world. He stood steady in his faith and Godly views. He loved God and all his people and spoke truth. He was truly someone to look up to. As a parent myself, I want my kids to learn about Charlie and what a Godly role model looks like. I want my kids to know God and surround themselves with people like Charlie. — katelyn 

Charlie kirk made a big impact in today’s society by making more young Americans vote in the election! A faithful man Even if you agreed with him or disagreed no one deserves to die just because of there political veiw or beliefs! — john 

Agree or Diaagree, Charlie Kirk was a great man doing what he believed was right and would lead to a better tomorrow. He was murdered for speaking his truth, his legacy is one of good nature and deserves to live on — Rob

Charlie kirk made a big impact in today’s society by making more young Americans vote in the election! A faithful man Even if you agreed with him or disagreed no one deserves to die just because of there political veiw or beliefs — Marisa

A Divisive Symbol, Opponents Say

But for many residents, the proposal crosses a line. A competing petition—currently outpacing the original—argues that a publicly funded or city-approved mural of Kirk would “divide rather than unite.”

“We respect that some people admired Charlie Kirk,” the opposing statement reads, “but we do not believe his face or his message belong on the walls of our downtown.”

Opponents cite several concerns. Some question honoring a national figure with no local ties. Others object on political or religious grounds, arguing that Kirk’s rhetoric frequently aligned with white Christian nationalism and included “homophobic, sexist, and racist” remarks.

“Downtown art should celebrate locals, not individuals who have no direct connection to our city,” the petition says. “Kirk was an extremely divisive figure whose views have no place representing Elizabeth City in a public space.”

The mural’s proposed location—close to the city’s Black Lives Matter mural—has amplified tensions. Opponents say placing Kirk’s image nearby would be “insensitive and provocative,” given Kirk’s history of criticizing racial justice movements.

Petition attempts to raise concerns from a theological perspective, saying that creating a public mural with a cross and a single person’s likeness “idolizes a man rather than Christ.”

One section of the opposition petition reads: “You may be a Christian and still believe that glorifying an individual, even one who claimed faith, distracts from the gospel.”

From the petition:

I can’t imagine going to the library and having to explain to my children why they replaced such a powerful message recognizing the dignity every human being deserves with a memorial to a person whose legacy is one of division, intolerance, and deliberate cruelty toward marginalized communities. To elevate a podcaster in place of a symbol of racial justice would send a message to my children and the rest of the community that hatred and exclusion are more worthy of memorialization than love and equality. — Lindsay 

This is not representative of the values of such a great city. — John 

We won’t celebrate death but we’re not gonna celebrate tyranny either!!! -/ Jaz

NO. We have homeless people in the city with needs for resources. We have mentally ill with nowhere to go. We have priorities in this city that *SHOULD NOT* be used, WASTED on memorializing a human who has nothing to do with Elizabeth City views or values, just a lot of trumpy fan club obsession. Get a grip. We don’t need a memorial for Charlie f*ing Kirk. We need people with actual functioning brains, hearts, and empathy making changes in this city, not memorials conserving the ideology of destroying empathy and love and acceptance. Period. — Dakoda 

Public art should bring people together, not glorify division, not paint blatant propaganda and dress it as pride. We don’t need walls painted with hate when our streets are already fighting to stay kind. This city deserves art that reflects love, truth, and courage. Murals should honor the voices that lift us up, not the ones that profit off tearing people down. We refuse to let intolerance be framed as inspiration. We stand for compassion, equality, and accountability because unity is louder than fear. We don’t need murals for misinformation. Paint compassion, not cruelty. Our city deserves better symbols than this.— Jessa 

The Charlie Kirk mural has no place in Elizabeth City. He did nothing to help or uplift this community—instead, he stood against progress and showed clear prejudice toward people of color. His actions and beliefs caused division and pain for many in Elizabeth City. We should not continue to honor someone who represented exclusion and inequality. Removing this is not about erasing history; it’s about choosing to stand for unity, respect, and justice in our community. — Ashley

The History of East Colonial Avenue Murals

The debate over the proposed mural comes four years after Elizabeth City commissioned a Black Lives Matter street mural on the same street.

In 2021, artist Michael Little designed and painted the large yellow-letter mural on East Colonial Avenue, stretching from City Hall to the Pasquotank County Library. The mural was created in response to ongoing racial tensions and the killing of Andrew Brown Jr., a local man who was shot and killed by deputies earlier that year.

I remember that story — since the media isn’t going to provide any context to Brown as it relates to anything, here’s this headline:

DA Rules Deputies Justified in Fatal Shooting of Andrew Brown Jr.

Brown was fatally shot in the back of the head on April 21, 2021, as deputies attempted to serve drug-related search and arrest warrants at his Elizabeth City home. The warrants, issued a day earlier, alleged that Brown possessed roughly three grams of cocaine with intent to sell.

According to early statements from Brown family attorneys, body camera footage showed Brown sitting in his driveway with both hands on the steering wheel when deputies opened fire. The family initially viewed just 20 seconds of the roughly two hours of total footage. A later viewing of about 18 minutes led attorneys to claim the video did not show Brown’s vehicle striking deputies before the shots were fired.

Then District Attorney Andrew Womble, however, disputed that account. He said Brown attempted to flee and that his car made contact with officers, prompting deputies to open fire in self-defense. None of the deputies were injured during the incident.

On May 18, 2021, Womble announced that the deputies’ use of deadly force was justified, stating that they acted “reasonably and only when a violent felon used a deadly weapon to place their lives in danger.” Seven deputies were placed on administrative leave after the shooting but later returned to duty.

Bunch of out-of-town agitators joined locals to protest what happened in Elizabeth City … lawyers started circling.

Attorneys for the Brown family had earlier called for Womble’s recusal, citing a conflict of interest because his office shared facilities with the sheriff’s department. A judge’s order continues to block public release of the full body camera footage.

Long-story-short, Pasquotank Sheriff’s Office paid out a $3 million settlement in June of 2022 in a lawsuit filed by Brown’s family, who had filed a $30 million civil rights lawsuit in 2021, saying the he died because officers showed “intentional and reckless disregard of his life.”

Back to the mural — the street mural got painted in the summer of 2021. Shortly after its unveiling, the mural was vandalized by a vehicle that intentionally drove over it, leaving dark skid marks across several letters. The Elizabeth City Police Department investigated the incident, which city officials, including then–City Manager Montre’ Freeman, described as a deliberate act. An Elizabeth City man was charged with crimes arising from the incident — injury to real property and reckless driving.

The mural was later restored, and the city has since used the site for several public art events and community gatherings. For some residents, that history makes the proposed Kirk mural’s location particularly sensitive — see comments below.

While both sides express sympathy over Kirk’s death, opponents say the proper venue for honoring him would be private property, not a city-approved public space. Five years ago, they sang a different tune as a Black Lives Matter was being painted onto a very public street in Elizabeth City. Same can probably be said of the other side of that debate when they were none to keen on painting the street.

For residents, the debate over the mural has become a reflection of deeper divides within Elizabeth City—a small but politically diverse community that has grappled with similar controversies in recent years, including debates over Confederate monuments, racial justice murals, and the boundaries of free expression.