What started as a straightforward sign installation at Westminster’s Civic Center has turned into a full-blown street-name fight. City crews are now bolting small ceremonial plates reading “Charlie Kirk Way” beneath the existing All American Way markers outside the municipal campus, and residents are lining up on both sides of the move.
Mayor Chi “Charlie” Nguyen posed for photos under one of the first plates on Tuesday while a mix of supporters and critics gathered nearby to watch the debut. The signs follow a City Council vote last fall and have reopened an argument over whether the heart of city government should double as a tribute to a nationally polarizing figure.
“By doing this, we promote the freedom, the freedom of speech, freedom for everyone to engage in open communication here in the city of Westminster,” Mayor Chi Charlie Nguyen told reporters, as reported by ABC7 Los Angeles. The mayor’s photo op and a steady stream of cars pulling in to check out the fresh signage were also captured by NBC Los Angeles, which aired video of the new plates going up near City Hall.
How the redesignation works
The move is symbolic rather than a formal name change. The City Council voted 4–1 on Nov. 12, 2025, to add “Charlie Kirk Way” in smaller lettering under the official All American Way signs instead of legally renaming the street, according to the Los Angeles Times. The proposal appears on the city's published agenda as “Redesignation of Street Name Signs” and specifies that the modified signs apply to the stretch between Westminster Boulevard and 13th Street, per the Westminster City Council agenda.
The Times reported that the new wording on overhead signs would be roughly three inches tall and that the small swap of plates was expected to cost about $3,000, a relatively modest price tag for a gesture that has generated outsized political heat.
Local reaction
Plenty of locals are not impressed. Residents interviewed by ABC7 blasted the redesignation as “a joke” and “hateful,” arguing that All American Way has historically been an inclusive name for the Civic Center area and asking why a national media personality should suddenly share the marquee.
A petition urging the council to reverse the decision has been gathering signatures on Change.org. The Orange County Tribune also noted that opponents began organizing a peaceful protest soon after the November council vote, signaling that the fight would spill out of council chambers and onto the actual street in question.
Political stakes and context
The redesignation was championed by Mayor Nguyen and Councilmember Amy Phan West, who argued that the gesture recognizes conservative commentator Charlie Kirk’s role in promoting civic engagement. In the same meeting, the council approved a separate resolution declaring Oct. 14 “Charlie Kirk Day,” the Los Angeles Times reported.
Critics counter that the move drags national partisan battles into city business in a majority Vietnamese American community that has no direct connection to Kirk. The timing has also added emotion to the debate. The redesignation comes in the wake of Kirk’s fatal shooting on Sept. 10, 2025, at Utah Valley University; prosecutors later charged a suspect with aggravated murder, according to AP News.
What’s next
For now, the new plates are strictly ceremonial. Municipal records still list All American Way as the official street name, and rolling back the redesignation would require another formal council vote, as outlined in the city's public agenda.
Given the vocal opposition, petitions, and ongoing media attention, the issue is widely expected to resurface at future council meetings as residents decide whether the approach to City Hall should double as a billboard for a national political brand. City officials did not immediately respond to requests for further comment on Tuesday.
