Protesters of all ages rallied at the intersection of the Sterling and Kenai Spur Highways in Soldotna on Saturday to show their disapproval of the current presidential administration. Part of the nationwide “Hands Off!” rally, the Soldotna protest was organized by Many Voices, a local activist group that formed after Donald Trump first took office in 2017.
Michele Vasquez helped run Saturday's protest, and says its demonstrators came from all walks of life.
“This has always been called a conservative district, but I bet you, if I walked around and did a poll of all these people here, there would be anywhere from the right, so to speak, Republican leaning, to the far left,” Vasquez said.
The group’s concerns ranged from the firing of federal employees to Social Security cuts, among many others. Some picket signs also targeted Trump’s senior advisor, Elon Musk.
Soldotna’s Leigh Tacey held a sign that read “No Kings.” He fears under the current administration, the United States may one day be run by one person with absolute power.
“We're seeing what looks like, not a democracy but an autocracy, in the way of Trump and his many, many crushes on the Constitution," Tacey said. "So, no kings. He wants to be a king, and we're not going to allow it.”
One anonymous protester from Cooper Landing held a poster that said “Dan Sullivan is Ghosting Alaskans.” She says that’s in response to town hall meetings around the state where the senator was notably absent.
But, the demonstrator says her concerns go beyond state affairs.
“I'm very afraid of what's happening to our democracy," she said. "Every day I think it can't get worse, and it gets worse.”
Across the street from those rallying against the administration, a handful of counter demonstrators waved signs and flags supporting the president. Soldotna’s Loretta Spalding sported a Trump/Vance hat and a sign that says “Pray 4 USA.”
She says she supports the administration’s recent actions and hopes it will lead to a debt-free nation for her and her 25 grandchildren.
“We're in for a little bit of rough times, but I tell people it's just like cleaning the closet," Spalding said. "When you're going to clean your closet, you're going to throw everything out on the floor, and then you're going to start putting the things back in that you really need and you really want.”
Spalding says she’s thankful to live in a nation where people of all political beliefs have the right to protest. And demonstrators on the other side agree.
Soldotna’s Jena Kruzick says the demonstration makes her feel less alone about her concerns.
“This today, though, has brought me a little bit more hope that people are pretty fed up right now with how things are being run in the federal government,” Kruzick said.
Saturday’s demonstration was peaceful. Local rally organizers are planning another demonstration in Soldotna for April 19.
