Office Depot fires Michigan employee who refused to print Charlie Kirk vigil posters
By isabelle // 2025-09-15
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  • An Office Depot manager in Michigan refused to print memorial posters for assassinated conservative leader Charlie Kirk, calling them propaganda before being fired for the incident.
  • The customer, affiliated with the Kalamazoo County Republican Party, was denied service solely because of Kirk’s political affiliation despite the posters being a respectful memorial.
  • Office Depot swiftly terminated the employee and apologized while reinforcing professionalism training to prevent future bias-driven refusals.
  • The incident highlights growing political polarization where even memorials for the deceased are met with hostility instead of basic human decency.
  • Businesses must prioritize neutrality in customer service, ensuring personal bias never overrides professionalism, as Office Depot demonstrated with their decisive response.
When a customer walked into an Office Depot in Portage, Michigan, to pick up posters for a vigil honoring assassinated conservative leader Charlie Kirk, they didn’t expect to be met with outright refusal. But that’s exactly what happened... until the company stepped in and fired the employee responsible. The incident, captured on video and shared by the Michigan Forward Network, shows a woman identifying herself as the store manager telling the customer, “Yeah, so, we don’t print propaganda.” When pressed on why the memorial poster qualified as such, she doubled down: “It’s propaganda. I’m sorry. We don’t print that here.” The exchange quickly went viral, sparking outrage and demands for accountability. Office Depot responded swiftly, announcing in a statement that the employee 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 stated. They also apologized to the customer and pledged to fulfill the order while reinforcing training on respect and professionalism.

A refusal rooted in bias, not policy

The customer, affiliated with the Kalamazoo County Republican Party, had ordered the posters to honor Kirk, the 31-year-old founder of Turning Point USA, who was fatally shot on September 10 while speaking at Utah Valley University. The posters simply read “The Legendary Charlie Kirk 1993-2025” over a black-and-white image of the late activist. Yet the Office Depot employee—without any apparent justification—deemed the memorial “political propaganda” and refused service. When questioned further, she admitted, “Because he’s a political figure and I don’t have to.” The arrogance of the response only deepened the offense, especially given the circumstances: a man had just been murdered, and his supporters were seeking to honor his memory. Fortunately, the group took their business elsewhere, and FedEx printed the posters free of charge. But the damage was already done. The incident exposed a troubling trend where political bias trumps basic professionalism.

Office Depot does the right thing

Unlike many corporations that drag their feet in the face of controversy, Office Depot acted decisively. The company not only terminated the employee but also launched an internal review to prevent similar incidents. Michigan Republicans praised the move. State Senate Minority Leader Aric Nesbitt commended Office Depot for “taking swift action,” while Rep. Bill Huizenga (R-Mich.) called the initial refusal “shameful,” noting that the only reason for denial was “because it was in memory of Charlie Kirk.”

A broader problem: Celebrating death over decency

The assassination of Charlie Kirk has sparked national mourning, yet some have responded not with sympathy, but with callousness—or worse, celebration. The Office Depot incident is just one example of how political hatred has warped basic human decency. Whether someone agreed with Kirk’s views or not, his murder was a tragedy, and honoring the dead should never be controversial. Yet in today’s polarized climate, even memorials become battlegrounds. The worker’s refusal wasn’t just unprofessional; it was a symptom of a culture that increasingly treats opponents as enemies rather than fellow citizens.

The lesson for businesses and employees alike

This incident serves as a reminder: when a customer pays for a service, personal politics should never interfere. Office Depot’s swift response sets an example for other companies facing similar situations. Employees who let bias dictate their work don’t belong in customer-facing roles. Period. A life lost is a life lost—and no amount of ideological hatred justifies disrespecting the grieving. Office Depot got this one right. Now, let’s hope others follow their lead. Sources for this article include: TheEpochTimes.com NYPost.com FoxBusiness.com
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