A street in a California city has been renamed in honour of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk, triggering an angry response from local residents who have condemned the decision as divisive and unwelcoming.
New signs went up over the weekend in Westminster, approximately 30 miles south of Los Angeles, adding “Charlie Kirk Way” alongside the existing name All American Way. The change, initially approved late last year, does not alter official addresses on the street but adds Kirk’s name to the signage in what Mayor Chi Charlie Nguyen described as a tribute to the late commentator’s values.
Nguyen, who led the push for the renaming, said he had been motivated by Kirk’s legacy and his wife’s continued efforts to carry on his work. “I am very inspired by what Charlie Kirk has been doing for the country,” he told ABC7. “By doing this, we promote freedom, the freedom of speech here in the city of Westminster.” On Facebook, the mayor wrote that Westminster was “the first city in the country to dedicate an official Charlie Kirk Way,” adding that he wanted to “honour Charlie for his faith, his love of country and his devotion to his amazing family.”
The reaction from many residents was immediate and hostile. Westminster resident Terry Rains said her gut response to hearing about the change was “Are you effing kidding me?” She told ABC7 that All American Way was a name that carried genuine inclusive meaning. “That is inclusive. That welcomes everyone into our Civic Center. These are all public buildings, and so tainting the name just completely denigrates what that stands for.” Rains was pictured holding signs reading “NO KIRK WAY! NO KIRK DAY!” and calling for the decision to be reversed.
Other local voices were equally dismissive. Ann Galvan, from nearby Garden Grove, said her first reaction was that the news must be a joke, while Ashley Lawrence of Los Angeles described the renaming as “so hateful.”
The backlash extended across social media, where the mayor’s announcement drew fierce criticism from users who accused him of using public infrastructure to promote a partisan political figure. Westminster sits within Orange County, which leans conservative compared to much of the wider Los Angeles area, though the street renaming appears to have united residents across political lines in opposition.
