Portland Tattoo Artist Sparks Outrage Over $50 Neck Tattoos Mocking Charlie Kirk Assassination Date

A Portland tattoo artist has sparked fierce online backlash after advertising a $50 (£37) tattoo promotion tied to the anniversary of conservative activist Charlie Kirk's assassination. The controversial offer encouraged customers to get tattoos on their necks in the same area where Kirk was fatally shot, turning the anniversary into what the artist described as a 'Kirkiversary Special.'

The promotion quickly circulated online, with critics accusing the tattoo artist of making light of a politically motivated killing. The controversy comes as social media users debate a wider trend of posts mocking Kirk's death ahead of the first anniversary of his assassination.

Tattoo Artist Advertises 'Kirkiversary Special'

The promotion was advertised for 10 September, the date marking one year since Kirk was killed at Utah Valley University in Utah.

According to reports, the Portland-based artist offered $50 neck tattoos (approximately £37) and specifically encouraged customers to have them placed in what the advertisement referred to as the 'exact placement of the kirkhole.'

The artist's Instagram account, identified as 'blacksctratcher.' posted examples of tattoo designs alongside a message promoting the offer. The post reportedly said customers could choose custom artwork or existing flash designs, provided they were placed in the specified area.

The promotion was subsequently amplified by social media accounts, where it attracted widespread attention and criticism.

Why Has the Promotion Sparked Outrage?

The main source of the backlash is the connection between the tattoo placement and the circumstances of Kirk's death.

Kirk, who founded conservative organisation Turning Point USA, was speaking at Utah Valley University on 10 September 2025, when he was shot in the neck and killed at the age of 31. His death shocked the political world and prompted widespread mourning among his supporters.

Critics argued that using the location of a fatal gunshot wound as the basis for a discounted tattoo promotion crossed a line between political satire and celebrating someone's death.

The response has also formed part of a broader dispute surrounding the term 'Kirkiversary,' which has been used by some people online to refer to the anniversary of Kirk's assassination. Supporters of Kirk and others have condemned the term as insensitive and disrespectful.

Artist Hits Back at Critics

The controversy escalated further after the tattoo account reportedly responded to the backlash on Instagram.

In a subsequent post, the account appeared to dismiss criticism and invoked freedom of speech while using derogatory language towards political opponents. The account was later reported to have been set to private.

Fox News reported that the artist was contacted for comment and asked whether she would be compensated for speaking about the promotion. She did not respond to a follow-up request.

There is no indication from the available reporting that the promotion was cancelled, although the social media account's change in visibility made it more difficult for users to view the original material.

A Wider Debate Over Political Mockery

The tattoo controversy has arrived amid a series of online posts and events connected to the anniversary of Kirk's death.

Some social media users have used the occasion to make jokes about the assassination, while others have condemned the trend as cruel and inappropriate. A separate controversy involving a proposed Charlie Kirk lookalike contest at Georgetown University has also drawn attention online.

The dispute highlights how political divisions increasingly extend into social media, entertainment and personal expression. While critics argue that mocking a person's killing is beyond the bounds of political disagreement, others maintain that offensive political expression remains protected as a matter of free speech.

For now, the Portland tattoo promotion remains one of the more provocative examples of the online backlash surrounding the first anniversary of Kirk's assassination, demonstrating how quickly politically charged content can turn into a wider culture-war controversy.