Kodiak protesters were joined by thousands of protesters across the state like in Kotzebue, Fairbanks and Juneau. NPR estimates at least five million protesters attended “No Kings Day” rallies across the country.
Kodiak protesters were joined by thousands of protesters across the state like in Kotzebue, Fairbanks and Juneau. NPR estimates at least five million protesters attended “No Kings Day” rallies across the country.
Lillian Wright is a recent Kodiak High School graduate who’s reevaluating her life plans after seeing how Trump uses the military.
“I was planning on joining the military pretty quickly after high school, but now I’m like no, I’m going to wait a while,” she said.
Wright’s waiting for a leader she respects before she reconsiders enlisting.
“That is the ultimate thing – your president should be the ultimate example of a real American stand-up citizen,” Wright said.
Wright is particularly concerned about Trump deploying troops against civilians, like sending the National Guard and Marines to support Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, in California.
“If you join the military, you’re pretty much going to be a makeshift ICE agent,” Wright said. “You know you’re going to be forced to, even if you don’t morally believe in it, even if you think it’s ethically wrong.”
Many at the protest disapproved of his actions reducing climate change regulations, deporting immigrants without due process and court hearings, and using emergency powers in unprecedented ways.
Joletta Silva said the president’s expanded use of emergency powers is the start of a slippery slope.
“Seeing someone act, or attempt to act, as an authoritarian is terrifying,” she said.
She hopes holding protests like this will encourage more people in the community to share their thoughts about the president’s decisions.
“Getting out and expressing how you feel and talking to people, even if it’s uncomfortable, I think that’s a really important thing to do right now,” she said.
Alaska’s junior senator, Republican Dan Sullivan, said on a call before “No Kings Day” that peaceful protests are a foundational way for people to make their voices heard.
“When people peacefully protest, I think that’s one of the most important elements of American democracy and it’s just important to keep it peaceful,” he said.
And Kodiak’s protest was peaceful, including among counter protesters like Michelle Powers.
“We need to be saying our different views at the same time – not just one view – it should be all views,” Powers said.
Her husband, Danny, said he thinks many of the people next to them just don’t understand conservative viewpoints.
“I don’t have anything against them, I just wish everybody was more well informed about everything that Donald Trump is trying to do,” he said.
The protest lasted about two hours. Some already started planning their next protest.
