Michigan Office Depot Backlash: Poster Refusal Leads to Firing

On a personal note, I’d like to preface this story by saying Charlie Kirk’s death was a tragedy. Whether you opposed his ideology or agreed with his views, his passing is a loss. He was a father, a husband, and most importantly, a human being who did not deserve to lose his life to violence. 

His death is a reminder that life is fragile and that our differences should never eclipse our shared humanity. With that said, here’s what we know about the controversy unfolding in Michigan.

Backlash After Poster Refusal

Office Depot is facing backlash after a Michigan store allegedly refused to print a poster promoting a vigil for conservative commentator Charlie Kirk. The incident has sparked boycott calls on social media, with critics accusing the retailer of political bias while others defended the employee’s actions.

Attorney Speaks Out on Incident

Matthew DePermo, an attorney and Republican Party activist in Kalamazoo County, said the incident began on Friday (9/12) when he commissioned the printing of a poster to promote a vigil for Kirk at the Office Depot in Portage, Michigan.

About three hours later, DePermo said he received a call from the store indicating that the job would not be completed, with the poster being labeled “propaganda.”

DePermo shared details of the incident on X, writing, “Hey @officedepot @OfficeMax do you think this is acceptable?”

We’ve chosen not to include DePermo’s X post in this article, as it contains video of the Office Depot employee who refused the job.

Employee Identified, Later Fired

The employee, identified only as “Beryl,” has since been fired, according to the New York Post.

Office Depot later apologized directly to DePermo.

“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. We sincerely apologize to the customer affected and to our community for this regrettable situation,” a spokesperson said in a statement to The Post.