A Michigan print shop employee lost their job after refusing to print a poster for a Charlie Kirk vigil and saying it was propaganda. A member of a local Republican group filmed the refusal at an Office Depot and the clip quickly spread online.
The man said: “We came in for an order earlier to print a poster for a vigil tonight.” A woman at the desk, identified as Beryl, replied: “Yeah so we don’t print propaganda.” The customer shot back: “It’s not propaganda.” Beryl doubled down and said: “It’s propaganda, I’m sorry. We don’t print…” before trailing off. The customer said it was for “a prayer vigil” for someone who had “passed away” but Beryl responded: “Because he was a political figure.”
The video was posted by Matthew DePerno and drew more than a million views with over 1,600 comments. Some online urged patience, saying corporate policy might not match the worker’s stance, while others demanded accountability. The order was later taken to FedEx where staff apologized and printed it free of charge.
Not long after the video spread, Office Depot put out a statement saying it was “deeply concerned by the incident.” The company said: “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 associate involved is no longer with the organization.” Their statement ended up drawing even more views than the original clip.
Viewers online noted that more than one employee was present and some demanded that all three staffers be fired. Comments included: “The quick response is appreciated. However, it was all three employees there. Please watch the video and look at how each of them responded. All three employees need to be let go.” Another said: “This was the right thing to do. People with such hateful attitudes should not be working with the public.”
The backlash comes just days after Kirk was fatally shot in Utah. That news brought responses from politicians including Gavin Newsom who wrote: “We should all feel a deep sense of grief and outrage at the terrible violence that took place in Utah today. Charlie Kirk’s [slaying] is sick and reprehensible, and our thoughts are with his family, children, and loved ones.”
President Joe Biden also said: “There is no place in our country for this kind of violence. It must end now. Jill and I are praying for Charlie Kirk’s family and loved ones.”
