Sergio Furnari, the sculptor behind a contentious statue honoring Charlie Kirk, says he has been inundated with abusive messages and threats since posting updates about the project online.
The backlash comes as Furnari continues promoting a larger memorial project that he says he hopes to unveil in New York City on September 10, 2026, the first anniversary of Kirk’s death. The statue has been described in fundraising materials as a public tribute to the Turning Point USA co-founder, and the campaign has already drawn intense attention online.
The Italian-born artist shared a response on Instagram after, he says, his account was flooded with what he called hostile reactions. He also said there was a clear difference between critical comments and anything involving threats of violence.
“To all of you commenting with your nasty and satanic comments I will pray for you,” Furnari wrote, according to his own Instagram post.
“Once upon a time you were beautiful and sincere children, unfortunately your level of education was limited, and that’s why I forgive you all for your ignorance.”
Furnari, 57, was born in Sicily and has spent the past 35 years living in New York, most recently in Long Island City. In comments previously given to The New York Post, he said he built the life-sized statue by hand using metal armatures coated in a resin commonly used for aircraft and vehicles. His longer-term aim, he said, is to recreate it in stainless steel so it can be made “bulletproof”.
The piece shows Kirk, who was 31 when he died, wearing a gray sweatshirt with the word ‘FREEDOM’ across it and holding a microphone in the stance he often took during debates on college campuses.
Furnari has insisted the work was not meant to serve as a political message, despite the fierce criticism it has attracted.
He has said he does not align himself with either major political party and was instead motivated by the way Kirk and his relatives were discussed online after the shooting.
Furnari’s supporters have framed the project as a tribute to free speech and political expression, while critics online have mocked the statue and questioned whether it can ever be permanently installed in a high-traffic area like Times Square. The public fundraiser tied to the memorial says the project is seeking $1 million overall, with $150,000 needed to get construction underway.
In his latest comments, the artist said ridicule is one thing, but threats are another entirely.
“For sure I do not tolerate any threats or any act of physical violence, I will report you to authorities,” he wrote, adding that he simply ignores those ‘making fun of Charlie and his family.’
He also described himself as “a lonely old wolf” who has no time for “sheep.” Furnari thanked people backing the project and urged them to spread the word, including by tagging Elon Musk in the hope of attracting financial support for a permanent steel version of the memorial.
A GiveSendGo page created for the statue separately alleges that the memorial’s TikTok profile was banned after an introductory video gained traction. It also says the campaign has faced “threats and hatemail” since it began, claiming the reaction made it feel as though Kirk had been killed a second time.
According to the fundraiser, the project is seeking $1 million in total, with $150,000 needed to get construction underway. Donors are being offered handcrafted busts and commemorative coins as part of the campaign.