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Charlie Kirk memorial expected to draw nearly 100,000 people: What were the biggest funerals in US history?
Charlie Kirk memorial: Trump, JD Vance, and Erika Kirk are among the speakers who schedule to address the event, according to the memorial's official website.
Charlie Kirk's funeral: Nearly 100,000 people are anticipated to travel to Arizona for Charlie Kirk's burial and memorial ceremony on Sunday, September 21, according to reports from The Independent and The New York Times. The public ceremony, which will be conducted under strict security at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, will pay tribute to the conservative activist and close associate of President Donald Trump who was assassinated on September 10.
The stadium, which is home to the Arizona Cardinals of the NFL, can accommodate up to 73,000 people for major events. There will be an extra 19,000 seats available in the nearby Desert Diamond Arena, which will act as an overflow facility.
President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance, and Erika Kirk are among the speakers who schedule to address the event, according to the memorial's official website.
The precise number of attendees will be verified only after the service gets over.
Large-scale mournings, however, are not unique to the United States; thousands of people have previously grieved the passing of well-known personalities. According to 107jamz, the following are a few of the most memorable funerals in American history.
Also Read: Charlie Kirk's wife Erika opens up about haunting moments after husband's death: ‘I can’t go into…’
Maricopa County Attorney issues warning to protestors
Meanwhile, Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell has warned that any violence would not be tolerated.
"This moment calls for Maricopa County to step up and show the nation—and the world—that we value dignity, civility, and the rule of law. We can be role models that even in times of grief and disagreement, our community is united in its commitment to free speech without violence or lawlessness," Mitchell said in a statement posted to X on Friday.
She, however, added that her administration will protect the rights of anyone who come to peacefully demonstrate or grieve. Anyone who decides to violate the law—whether by using force, destroying property, or obstructing the process—will be held responsible, she said.
“Let us honor Charlie Kirk's memory and the blessings of liberty not with division or disruption, but with peace and respect for others,” Mitchell added, urging attendees to continue to show respect.
Also Read: Charlie Kirk Funeral Live Updates: Trump to deliver address as thousands gather in Glendale
A look at largest funerals in US history
John F. Kennedy funeral: Some 1,200 people from more than 90 nations attended the burial of John F. Kennedy at St. Matthew's Cathedral. Approximately 300,000 people watched as his flag-draped coffin was transported to the Capitol on a horse-drawn caisson.
Rudolph Valentino funeral: Valentino's funeral at the Frank Campbell burial Home in Manhattan drew an estimated 100,000 people. As crowds battled to see his body, chaos broke out, breaking windows and forcing more than 100 mounted police to reestablish order.
Abraham Lincoln funeral: Millions of people, including future presidents Grover Cleveland and Theodore Roosevelt, watched Lincoln's remains and his 11-year-old son William journey as part of a funeral train through 444 villages across seven states after his assassination. Lincoln was buried at Springfield, Illinois's Memorial Hall after a procession that lasted over three weeks.
Muhammad Ali funeral: The two-day funeral for Muhammad Ali started on June 9, 2016 at Freedom Hall with an Islamic Janazah prayer ceremony. As his 23-mile funeral procession traveled through Louisville, hundreds of thousands of people lined the streets to bid him farewell. With an estimated 1 billion people watching from home across the globe, a public memorial ceremony for Ali was conducted the next day in downtown Louisville at the KFC Yum! Center in front of 22,000 people.
