Juneau joins nation in ‘No Kings’ protest

More than 1,000 people in Juneau participated in a “No Kings” protest Saturday, joining millions taking part in over 2,000 similar gatherings nationwide to oppose what they called corruption and authoritarianism within the Trump administration.

The protest that started at noon at Overstreet Park was among 18 in Alaska, according to Alaska Public Media. Organizers planned the protests to counter President Donald Trump’s staging of a vast military parade in Washington, D.C., celebrating the U.S. Army’s 250th anniversary that also coincided with his 79th birthday.

“The sun is shining in Juneau and it’s raining on Donald Trump’s birthday parade,” Philip Pallenberg, a former superior court judge, told the crowd.

Events of the past week heightened national concern about executive power for many of the speakers and participants in Juneau’s protest.

“We are here today in peaceful protest,” Master of Ceremonies Jorden Nigro said. “The president deployed Marines and the National Guard to Los Angeles this week. The party of state’s rights threatened to arrest the governor of California and readied Marines to turn on American citizens engaging in their First Amendment rights to free speech.”

Adam Hasse-Zamudio, a representative from Veterans for Peace, spoke about the importance of maintaining a nonpartisan military.

“The best way to support our troops is ensuring that the people who sign their lives up are being asked to do things in a manner that is legal, ethical and responsible,” Hasse-Zamudio said. “Our military doesn’t belong to a single party, a single president or a single man.”

Among the most violent incidents nationwide in recent days was the shooting of two Minnesota lawmakers and their spouses hours before Saturday’s protests began nationwide. One couple died in what Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz called a“‘politically motivated” shooting, prompting him to ask protestors not to attend “No Kings” protests in his state.

Nigro expressed that while everyone is concerned following these instances of harsh retaliation, peaceful protest is essential.

“The fascists have won if we’re afraid to come out in protest,” Nigro said.

Juneau’s rally was peaceful with no notable direct confrontations. A group that grew to about 10 people stood several hundred yards away on the Douglas Bridge holding U.S. flags, with the people involved saying it was a spontaneous show of support for the U.S. Army on its historic anniversary.

“It’s their right to do it — I just don’t agree with their position,” said Scott Spickler, a Juneau resident standing on the bridge, referring to the protesters. “I think we’re on a good path. We’ve just got to give it a chance, take our time.”

A similar sentiment about opposing views was expressed by Megan Lingle, an organizer with Juneau for Democracy.

“We respect freedom of speech on either side, so we’ve been pushing the peaceful protest on Áakʼw Ḵwáan land, and it’s OK if we have a counter presence here today because everybody’s voices should be heard in a democracy,” Lingle said.

No law enforcement was observed at the protest.

Saturday’s protest was similar in size to a Hands Off protest at the Alaska State Capitol on April 5, which organizers claimed attracted more than 1,500 participants (Nigro on Saturday said a counter tallied more than 1,600 people at the park). Several other gatherings —mostly at the Capitol — have attracted a few dozen to several hundred people.

“It just started out with a collective of concerned citizens in Juneau who wanted to make sure that we were standing up for our rights, and we started organizing at the Capitol, and now that the session is over, we thought we would have more visibility at the whale,” Lingle said.

Frustrations about immigration policy and federal defunding that prompted earlier protests were reiterated at Saturday’s “No Kings” protest.

“Since the current administration came into office significant cuts have been made to public health efforts, funding and staff,” said Nina Edwards, a graduate student of public health, Alaska Native Sisterhood member and musician. “One by one important programs are being dismantled when, right now, we need more services and not less.”

“My only source of income is Social Security. That’s messed up. Where is that going to put me?” said Seikoonie Fran Houston, an Áakʼw Ḵwáan elder and spokesperson.

A protester waved a sign at the road which read, “If there’s $ for a parade, there’s $ 4 medicaid”

In addition to domestic policy, Mel Izard, speaking on behalf of Juneau for Palestine, tied U.S. domestic oppression to foreign policy.

“We’re here today in opposition to President Trump, wannabe king who is not only terrorizing people here at home, but also aiding and abetting Israel’s genocide of the Palestinian people,” Izard said.

All speakers highlighted the importance of getting organized and connecting to the community to combat threats to democracy.

“We know if we stand together, we work together, we can get things done,” Houston reminded the crowd.

After about an hour of speeches, poetry and music, Nigro instructed the crowd to line Egan Drive. Protestors walked on the sidewalk to Marine Park, often serenaded with horns from passing cars.

At the front of the procession was Terra Stark, a Juneau resident wearing a fan-inflated pink jumpsuit, which she said was meant to be a colorful counterstatement to Trump’s exhibition of military might.

“That was kind of like ‘Let me go as opposite from military might as I can,’” she said. “I guess that’s maybe what you’re seeing.”

• Contact Natalie Buttner at natalie.buttner@juneauempire.com.