An Office Depot employee in Portage, Michigan was dismissed after refusing to print posters for a vigil for conservative activist Charlie Kirk, the company said, following a social media confrontation that prompted widespread criticism.
The Kalamazoo County Republican Party placed an order for large posters on Friday afternoon to use at a prayer vigil for Kirk, who was shot during an on-campus debate and later pronounced dead. According to organizers and a video posted online by attorney and Republican activist Matthew DePerno, a store supervisor identified as "Beryl" contacted the group nearly three hours after the order was placed to say the location would not complete the job, describing the requested material as "political propaganda."
DePerno posted video of an in-store exchange in which he questioned employees about the canceled order. In the footage, a woman who identified herself as a manager repeated that the store does not print political propaganda. DePerno said he told employees the posters were for a vigil for someone who had died and that the group subsequently took the order to a FedEx location, where staff printed the poster and, he said, apologized and did so free of charge.
Office Depot responded on X, saying it was "deeply concerned" by the incident and that the associate involved was no longer with the company. "The behavior displayed by our associate is completely unacceptable and insensitive, violates our company policies, and does not reflect the values we uphold at Office Depot," the company wrote. Office Depot said it immediately contacted the customer to ensure the order was fulfilled to their satisfaction and that it had launched an internal review and would reinforce training with team members.
The incident drew immediate online attention, with social media users calling for boycotts and criticizing the company for perceived political bias. Posts sharing the video and a photo of the store receipt gained thousands of views within 24 hours. Supporters of the vigil organizers described the action as discriminatory; others defended the employee’s right to refuse work they view as political speech. Office Depot did not provide details on whether the order was refunded.
Charlie Kirk, 31, a conservative commentator and founder of the student-focused Turning Point USA organization, was shot in the neck during a debate with a student that touched on mass shootings. Video of the shooting showed him recoiling from the impact; he was later pronounced dead. Organizers planned prayer vigils and memorials following the incident, which drew national attention and renewed debate about campus safety and political confrontations.
The company statement emphasized a commitment to customer service and community standards, saying it would hold team members to standards of "respect, integrity, and customer service." The matter is part of a broader discussion about how private businesses handle requests that intersect with politics and public demonstrations. Office Depot did not provide further comment beyond its social media post, and local officials and the Republican Party did not immediately respond to requests for additional detail.
The store-level refusal, the ensuing online backlash, and the company’s rapid announcement of a personnel decision illustrate how quickly in-store incidents can escalate into national conversations in the age of social media. Office Depot said it would take steps to reinforce training across locations to prevent similar occurrences.