Local NAACP pushes to remove NC mayor over ‘online attacks’ after Charlie Kirk’s death
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- Union County NAACP urges Monroe City Council to remove Mayor Robert Burns.
- NAACP accuses Burns of using social media to call out residents after Kirk’s death.
- Burns defends actions, cites threats and denies accusations of online harassment.
The Union County NAACP called on the Monroe City Council to remove Mayor Robert Burns from office Tuesday evening, saying he “weaponized” his social media accounts to target private citizens following the death of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
Archie Hansley, the group’s president, said Burns used his official platform to “amplify personal information, tag extremist accounts and incite harassment” against residents who expressed views different from his own. Hansley said local organizations received death threats and families feared for their safety.
“This behavior is not only unbecoming of an elected official, but also dangerous,” Hansley said at Tuesday night’s Monroe council meeting. “When leaders weaponize their influence to intimidate or shame constituents, they erode the very principles of dignity, empathy and public service that our community deserves.”
In a post on Burns’ official Facebook page, the mayor criticized a former chair and current executive committee member of the Union County Democratic Party for his post about Kirk, when he wrote that people should mock and dance on the graves of fascists. The Democratic leader had written that people were “doing the work of white supremacy” by grieving more for Kirk than when Black people or Palestinians are killed.
Burns defended himself in a statement to The Charlotte Observer, saying the person he criticized is not a private citizen, but a local Democratic leader.
“The Union County NAACP has chosen to shield this Democratic figure instead of standing on the side of morality,” Burns said. “Worse still, they ignore the fact that my personal information has been plastered across the same sites known to radicalize people like Tyler Robinson.”
Robinson, 22, is accused of assassinating Kirk earlier this month at Utah Valley University.
“Christians and conservatives are done being pushed around,” Burns said in his statement. “We will not be lectured on civility by organizations that give cover to activists who glorify political violence.”
Burns said he has had to hire security after facing threats and “unhinged messages.”
“I will continue to stand boldly for truth, for faith, and for the people of North Carolina,” he said. “We are not backing down.”
On Tuesday, speakers at the council meeting said the target of Burns’ comments faced threats after his post.
“The mayor went after a private citizen, a Black man in Union County online, simply because he didn’t mourn the way that the mayor required,” said Raum Sandoval. “We all saw the following racist comments and violent threats. This is not the work of a leader. This isn’t unity. This isn’t leadership. It’s division for political gain.”
Jen Sanders, chair of the Union County Democratic Party, said party members have received death threats, been harassed and were called racial slurs since Burns posted about the volunteer’s comments and tagged far-right social media accounts like Libs of TikTok. Sanders and Hansley both said the party member was a private citizen, not a public official.
After the public comment section, the council adjourned the meeting without any new discussion or motion.
This isn’t the first time Burns has faced criticism. In July, the Monroe City Council voted it had “no confidence” in its mayor after he was accused of withholding information from council members about legislation that made Monroe elections partisan. Members also said he used the city’s logo and address to share his personal political views. Burns was also censured by the city council in 2024 after he issued a proclamation celebrating the reversal of Roe v. Wade.
Charlie Kirk vigil
The controversy also follows a vigil Burns organized for Kirk. Around 1,000 people attended the vigil, Burns said on Facebook.
Video from the vigil posted on TikTok showed a speaker telling the crowd: “We cannot have unity with people who want to kill us.” The speaker also denounced the Democratic Party as “wicked” and “demonic” and called homosexuality and transgender identity “evil.” The speaker said America must recognize only “the one true” Christian God, the video snippet showed.
There is no evidence that Robinson, charged with Kirk’s murder, is a Democrat. Records show he is an unaffiliated, inactive voter, and despite claims, is not a member of the Democratic Socialists of America.
On Tuesday, Hansley asked during public comment about the financial resources used to hold the vigil and whether it was carried out in accordance with city council policies. The council did not respond to his comment.
Burns declined to answer questions about the vigil, but a spokesperson for him said he was one of the event’s organizers as a private citizen, not the mayor.
“This event was not city-sponsored and the mayor believes in the freedom to peacefully gather, which is exactly what happened,” the spokesperson said in an email to the Observer.
This story was originally published September 23, 2025 at 1:06 PM.
