Hundreds of Alaskans joined protests in communities across the state Monday as part of a nationwide Presidents Day demonstration opposing President Donald Trump’s policies at home and abroad.
In Juneau, Alaskans packed the plaza outside the State Capitol before marching down Main Street, chanting slogans that included “Protect our democracy!” and “United we stand!”
Many of the 500-plus protesters held signs opposing billionaire Elon Musk’s so-called Department of Government Efficiency with slogans like “Beware of DOGE,” “No one voted for Elon,” and “Musk must go.” Others called for Congress to assert its constitutional power to check Trump’s moves to expand presidential authority — “Where’s Dan? Lisa? Nick?” one sign read, referring to Alaska’s congressional delegation.
Other demonstrators offered support for federal workers who have been fired as the administration purges newly hired employees from federal agencies. Others underscored the benefits the federal government provides to Alaskans. Federal spending makes up more than 40% of the current state budget.
One National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration worker who declined to give her name because she fears retaliation held a sign saying “Alaska needs NOAA.” She said she spent nine years in graduate school and another five in postdoctoral programs — and now she’s afraid she could be caught up in the mass firings.
“I care about our mission. We're the gold standard of fisheries management,” she said. “But more than that, NOAA provides weather services to rural communities in Alaska. We provide a lot of services to Native tribes and coastal communities, people with lack of resources and a need to understand how their environment is going to be changing.”
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Leaders from the Alaska Native Sisterhood and Brotherhood each spoke to the crowd, as did some Democratic state lawmakers.
“We have federal legislators to move on this issue. We need them to stand up. We need them to honor their oaths of office, to protect and defend the Constitution of the United States of America. There is nothing less at stake than that,” Sen. Jesse Kiehl, D-Juneau, told the assembled crowd.
Protests erupted at noon Monday across the state, including in Anchorage, Palmer, Homer, Fairbanks, Kodiak and Ketchikan.
Nearly 250 people — about 7% of the population — attended a rally in the Southeast Alaska community of Petersburg. Among them was Celeste Fenter, who told local public radio station KFSK she had recently been fired as a secretary for the U.S. Forest Service.
“I am not a parasite. These are not parasites. These are the best and the brightest in this community, and every one of them is a person I would pick for my team, first and foremost, every time,” she said. “Make this stop. Do better.”
The protests were part of a nationwide call to action by a group calling itself the 50501 Movement. There were protests in cities across the country, from Boston to Orlando to Lincoln, Nebraska and Jackson, Mississippi.
Monday’s protests followed an earlier “day of action” on Feb. 5.
Organizers say they plan to continue demonstrating against the Trump administration in the years to come.
“Save those signs,” one speaker told the Juneau crowd. “We’re going to need them again.”
KFSK’s Hannah Flor in Petersburg contributed reporting to this story.
