In Arkansas last week, a memorial shrine dedicated to murdered podcaster Charlie Kirk was badly vandalized.
Kirk’s shooting death remains one of the most emotionally charged news stories in recent memory, so it’s not surprising that the two siblings responsible for the destruction have suffered social and professional consequences.
But many are shocked by the news that Kerri, 23, and Kaylee Rollo, 22, have responded by launching a GoFundMe page with the goal of raising $20,000 to cover their legal expenses.
Shocking act of vandalism caught on camera
According to a report from the New York Post, the Rollos’ act of vandalism was caught on camera.
And they made their motives quite clear in front of numerous witnesses.
“F–k Charlie Kirk,” said Kerri, who uses they/them pronouns, in the video.
She then flipped two middle fingers at the camera and shouted, “Film all you want.”
“Charlie Kirk died as he lived, promoting violence,” Kerri continued, before shouting, “F–k Charlie Kirk” several more times and storming off.
Shortly thereafter, the siblings were arrested by local police in Benton County, Arkansas.
According to the Post, Kerri was fired from her job at a local restaurant, and Kaylee was dumped by her boyfriend and kicked out of the house
Rollo sisters raise funds after trashing Charlie Kirk memorial
“My sibling and I are being doxxed online and my sibling was fired from their job,” Kaylee wrote in the GoFundMe.
In a statement, authorities clarified that the Rollos were not arrested for political reasons, but rather for destruction of property.
“Everyone has a right to be able to express their freedom of expression. But what the issue is, is when you trample on someone’s memorial, the human act of grieving,” said Benton County Justice of the Peace Joseph Bollinger.
“You’re not just trampling on their freedom of expression, you’re trampling on the memory of a person. You’re trampling on our Benton County values,” he added.
The mother of Kaylee’s ex says she made the decision to evict her son’s girlfriend immediately after learning of the vandalism.
“Kaylee has lived in my home now for over a year, and I have never once cut her down or not allowed her to have the beliefs that she has,” said Lacy Christian, the mother of Kaylee’s ex, according to the Daily Mail.
“However, I will not allow someone living in my home to be OK [with] or celebrate a murder,” she added. “I will never allow someone to live in my home who is OK with destroying a memorial for someone else.”
The Rollo siblings have already raised more than $20,000 from more than 360 donors.