News Summary
During a city council meeting, Huntington Beach Councilman Butch Twining condemned the presence of hate groups at a recent vigil for conservative activist Charlie Kirk, who was assassinated. Twining highlighted a confrontation with white supremacists, asserting that their actions were an exploitation of the event. Despite community backlash and calls for his resignation, Twining maintained his position against extremism, while Mayor Pat Burns and others emphasized the importance of public safety and free speech amid rising tensions in the area.
Huntington Beach City Councilman Butch Twining strongly condemned hate groups during a city council meeting on Tuesday night. His remarks followed a recent vigil for Charlie Kirk, a conservative activist who was assassinated in Utah. Twining addressed the disturbing presence of extremist groups during the vigil, citing their disruption as an attempt to manipulate the event for their ideologies.
Twining attended the vigil with his wife, where tensions escalated when a group began chanting “White man fight back.” He identified these individuals as “self-described white supremacists” who were not there to honor Kirk but rather to exploit the situation. Upon realizing the event had been compromised, Twining decided to leave with his wife.
In the aftermath of the viral video showcasing the vigil’s disturbances, some members of the community including Ocean View School District Trustee Gina Clayton-Tarvin, have called for Twining’s resignation. Despite this backlash, Twining further reiterated his stance against extremism during the council meeting and expressed that he does not wish for his voice to be misconstrued as aligning with hate groups. He recounted experiencing harassment following the incident after the video became public.
Clayton-Tarvin, responding to Twining’s statements, emphasized the significance of free speech, critiquing his suggestions of impending legal action against critics. Additional council members who support Twining’s views expressed solidarity during the meeting, underscoring the polarized environment within local politics.
A larger vigil in memory of Charlie Kirk was organized by local conservative YouTube creator James Klug at Pier Plaza, drawing approximately 4,000 attendees. Klug described the gathering as peaceful, involving prayers, music, and family activities. A resident in attendance depicted Kirk as a “Godly man” and criticized the surrounding hate rhetoric that has emerged following the assassination.
Mayor Pat Burns confirmed that no arrests were made at either vigil and condemned all forms of violent rhetoric. He reiterated the city’s collaboration with law enforcement to ensure safety while denouncing speech that could undermine public safety. Conversely, emerging political candidate Taryn Palumbo criticized the mayor’s statements for lacking a direct condemnation of the white nationalists present at the vigil.
Recent reports indicated escalating tensions in Huntington Beach connected to the assassination of Charlie Kirk. These events have seemingly become a rallying point for extremist factions seeking to recruit new individuals into their ideologies. Local resident Jerry Geyer described a confrontation with white nationalists marching toward the pier, comparing the atmosphere to historical fascism and expressing alarm over the rising influence of hate groups in the community.
As Huntington Beach navigates these events, the community remains divided between those expressing solidarity with Twining and those who hold opposing views regarding hate and extremism. The situation is compounded by the broader national context of heightened political divisions and ideologies, highlighting the complexities of free speech and community safety in this turbulent environment.
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Additional Resources
- Los Angeles Times
- Wikipedia: Huntington Beach, California
- The Guardian
- Google Search: Charlie Kirk hate groups
- KCRW
- Google Scholar: Huntington Beach hate groups
- Washington Post
- Encyclopedia Britannica: White Supremacy
- Sacramento Bee
- Google News: Huntington Beach Charlie Kirk
Author: STAFF HERE HUNTINGTON BEACH
The Huntington Beach Staff Writer represents the experienced team at HEREHuntingtonBeach.com, your go-to source for actionable local news and information in Huntington Beach, Orange County, and beyond. Specializing in "news you can use," we cover essential topics like product reviews for personal and business needs, local business directories, politics, real estate trends, neighborhood insights, and state news affecting the area—with deep expertise drawn from years of dedicated reporting and strong community input, including local press releases and business updates. We deliver top reporting on high-value events such as the Huntington Beach Surf City USA Marathon, the U.S. Open of Surfing, Fourth of July celebrations at the Huntington Beach Pier, and community festivals at Huntington Beach Central Park. Our coverage extends to key organizations like the Huntington Beach Chamber of Commerce and Visit Huntington Beach, plus leading businesses in retail, hospitality, and outdoor recreation that drive the local economy. As part of the broader HERE network, including HEREAnaheim.com, HERECostaMesa.com, HERESantaAna.com, and HERELosAngeles.com, we provide comprehensive, credible insights into Southern California's dynamic landscape.
