Two sisters in Arkansas have been arrested after trashing a public memorial for slain conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
The Benton County Sheriff’s Office confirmed Kerri Melissa Rollo, 23, and Kaylee Heather Rollo, 22, were both taken into custody. They face felony charges of first-degree criminal mischief. Kaylee has also been hit with an obstruction count.
Footage of the incident went viral earlier this month. The video showed two women tearing posters, stomping on candles, and flipping off the camera while shouting insults at Kirk. The memorial had been set up on the courthouse steps in Bentonville after Kirk was shot dead during an event in Utah.
Viral video sparks backlash
Clips spread quickly across social media. One woman can be heard screaming “F*** Charlie Kirk!” while scattering flowers and candles. Another picked up handwritten tributes left by mourners and threw them away.
The sheriff’s office posted booking photos online and said the case was investigated “swiftly.” Local officials condemned the vandalism. Justice of the Peace Joseph Bollinger told reporters: “You’re trampling on the memory of a person. You’re trampling on our Benton County values.”
Sisters launch fundraiser
Soon after, the sisters went online to ask for cash. A GoFundMe titled “FIGHT AGAINST F4CISM HELP PAY FOR OUR LEGAL FEES” was launched by Kaylee.
In the appeal she wrote: “My sibling and I are being doxxed. My sibling was fired. This is a direct violation of our First Amendment rights.”
The page was created on September 16. An update later claimed: “WE HAVE BEEN THREATENED, DOXXED, HARASSED, AND FIRED. PLEASE CONSIDER DONATING FOR LEGAL COUNSEL AND COURT FEES.”
Their target is $18,000. National outlets reported the sisters had already raised thousands within days. Donations surged after the arrests, though critics flooded the comments too.
Court and bail
By Friday, both women had appeared before a judge. Court records put Kerri’s bond at $15,000 and Kaylee’s at $7,500. The Independent reported Kerri requested a public defender while Kaylee hired private counsel.
Local TV stations aired mugshots alongside the viral footage, showing the sisters tearing through candles and posters. Officials stressed charges were for property damage, not political speech.
Free speech or crime?
On their fundraiser, the sisters claim their actions were protest. “This is unconstitutional,” the page insists.
But legal experts say otherwise. Free speech covers opinions, not destroying memorials or county property. Employers also can fire workers for off-duty conduct that attracts public outrage, outside limited protections.
Officials have not commented on the sisters’ job losses. The sheriff’s office has kept its statements brief, only noting the seriousness of damaging public memorials.
Broader fallout
The arrests came as thousands gathered in Arizona for Kirk’s massive memorial service at State Farm Stadium. The event drew major Republican figures and was treated as a top-level security operation.
Elsewhere, a 19-year-old was arrested in Arizona after another Kirk memorial was vandalised. Police say several incidents have been investigated since Kirk’s assassination.
In Bentonville, deputies moved quickly after residents reported the courthouse memorial being destroyed. Officials emphasised that mourners’ right to grieve was trampled by the vandalism.
Fundraiser still active
The GoFundMe remains live. Its messages, filled with capital letters, stress the sisters’ defence and plea for legal fees.
Court calendars suggest their cases will move quickly. Typical bond conditions restrict disruptive conduct and require court appearances within days.
For now, the sisters are free on bail. Their video continues to spread, their legal fight is only beginning, and their plea for donations is dividing opinion online.
Sheriff Shawn Holloway summed it up bluntly: “Acts of vandalism, particularly those directed toward community memorials, are taken very seriously.”
Featured image credit: Gage Skidmore
