Organizers of vigil against white violence remind attendees to ‘pray for peace’

LACONIA — A sparsely-attended candlelight vigil condemning white violence was held peacefully Saturday at the Rotary Park gazebo, in an exercise of First Amendment rights following the public slaying of conservative influencer Charlie Kirk.

Event organizers, who said they wished to remain anonymous for fear of retaliation, wanted to honor the memory of three white Americans killed this year: Kirk, Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska, and 17-year-old Austin Metcalf, who was stabbed at a track event. Organizers are not part of any nationally-recognized group, but are rather friends.

Six of the 11 event attendees were organizers, while another five people came and went throughout the one-hour vigil. A moment of silence was held and a prayer said around the hand-assembled wooden cross sitting next to flaming tea lights and atop an event flyer.

Two Laconia police officers observed the vigil out of an abundance of caution, at the request of lead organizer Rob, who declined to give his last name after a negative encounter hanging up event flyers. A call to the Laconia Police Department confirming the request for officers to attend was not returned by press time.

The grassroots effort included the distribution of 85 black-and-white flyers, taped or stapled around the city at intersections and popular areas. The Laconia Daily Sun could find no online presence promoting the event.

Rob simply wanted to hold a candlelight vigil for three people who have been murdered, he said, but was weary of attendees possibly coming out of disrespect.

As he hung up posters, some tried to thwart his campaign. He was verbally confronted and watched as passersby tore down at least 10 flyers. He wasn’t surprised by the event’s light attendance.

Rob wants Kirk to be remembered as nothing “but love,” hoping to spread a message of intentional and healthy dialogue among Americans.

It was sadness about the recent slayings that brought Laconia resident Shannon to pay her respects, saying “Jesus is the answer.” Shannon wished to keep her last name off the record for fear of being posted on the internet.

One of the organizers, Nate, who wished to keep his last name off the record, believed there to be a lot of “political and ethnic vitriol” that didn’t help further any one cause. Other organizers simply felt compelled to “do something” and didn’t want to sit around.

Rob reminded folks to “pray for peace” during this time, practicing the belief it’s OK to agree to disagree.