On June 14, communities across Alaska took part in a national day of protest against the Trump administration. National organizers estimated that over five million protesters showed up to "No Kings" rallies, planned to coincide with a parade in Washington, D.C. celebrating 250 years of the United States Army and President Donald Trump’s birthday.
In Fairbanks, an estimated 2,000 protesters gathered outside of Pioneer Park, the largest turnout in a string of similar protests this year, according to the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner.
But even in the state’s smallest communities, protesters voiced their opposition to the Trump administration. In the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta village of Emmonak, a single protester strapped a cardboard sign to his four wheeler that read “ICE is good for fish … not people.”
In Bethel, the national protest aligned with the river community’s early weeks of the salmon fishing season. A group of 33 protesters waved signs including “Kings in our river, not D.C.” as they chanted “No kings but salmon” outside of Watson’s Corner — the city’s main intersection.
Protester Maria Uttereyuk and her daughter held signs reading “Be kind” and “Human rights belong to everyone.”
“And so I'm concerned when the government just is operating based on fear and discrimination, and that's not what I want for my daughter and for me,” Uttereyuk said. “So people shouldn't be afraid to exist. So I want them to know that they're not alone.”
In Sitka, around 300 residents gathered at their downtown roundabout. With no shortage of American flags and signs critiquing the administration, the “No Kings” demonstrators were met by a couple dozen counter-protesters, waving flags in support of President Trump. The march was followed by a rally, punctuated by speeches, performance art, and a rendition of “You’ll Be Back” from the musical Hamilton.
In downtown Juneau, Overstreet Park was packed full with more than 1,500 protesters. Tahku, the whale sculpture, towered over the crowd.
Jean Shannon said that she’s proud to live in a community that embraces activism.
“I've never been this scared for my life, and I protested against the Vietnam War,” Shannon said. “After having lived through the 60s, I can see how momentum builds, and you can effect change when people stand up and just don't lie down anymore.”
Out in the Aleutians, the only kings some Unalaskans want are king crab and king salmon. More than 40 residents gathered for the “No Kings” rally at the island’s only four-way stop intersection.
Sharon Svarny-Livingston organized the peaceful protest. She said that the rally backs what the United States' founders created — a governing body to run the country.
“It was people. Just normal, regular, everyday people governing together, making that Constitution, making sure that there was a rule of law that was, you know, going to guide us through the messes that we might get into,” Svarny-Livingston said.
About 40 people marched through Kotzebue on June 14, escorted by police cars and with a boombox blasting a mix of music as the group tossed candy. This was the community’s first protest event since Trump took office.
Ruth Ann Zent helped organize the event. She’s with “Northwest Arctic Takes Action,” a grassroots political group based in Kotzebue.
Zent said that their overarching worry is that the Trump administration’s policies could threaten the fundamentals of democracy.
“Our free speech and the freedom of the press, our due process, those are all in the Constitution, and I feel like they are not being followed, and many of us feel the same, and we wanted to stand up for our rights before something gets taken away,” Zent said.
Over in Kodiak, nearly 200 people lined the town’s busiest intersection. Ben Millstein said that he hopes Trump and other conservatives see how many people protested and start to take their opposition more seriously. That was the general sentiment of most of the people there, but Michelle Powell and her husband were the two sole counter-protesters waving a Trump flag.
“We need to be saying our different views at the same time – not just one view – it should be all views,” Powell said.
Alaska’s junior senator, Dan Sullivan, on a call before "No Kings Day," said that protesting is how people should 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,” Sullivan said.
This story was reported with help from Clarise Larson, Desiree Hagen, Brian Venua, Sofia Stuart-Rasi, and Katherine Rose.
