Locals Gather for Second Weekend in Conjunction With Nationwide Protest

A small grove of signs colored the edge of Girdwood's bike path Saturday. One person had a sign with a rabbit that said, "Happy Easter". (Photo by Soren Wuerth)

By Soren Wuerth

TNews Editor

Girdwood residents joined with protestors in Anchorage and across 50 states in a local rally under a warm sun Saturday. It's the second demonstration, on the corner of Alyeska Highway and Hightower Road this month. 

The protest was in keeping with a "50-50-1" movement—50 States, 50 Protests, One Day—against policies of the Trump Administration.

"We need to use what voice we have," said Susan Carse, a 32-year-resident and retired attorney, who held a sign reading, "No Kings. Save Democracy." 

She said she had concerns about a weakened role of the judicial branch of government under the Trump Administration.

Larry Daniels stands across Alyeska. He said it was his first protest appearance since 1972. (Photo by Soren Wuerth)

"We have three branchs and he's taken over the judicial. He seems to do what he wants," Carse said. She also said Trump seems to be getting away insider trading, an accusation levelled at the Administration following a sudden reversal in stock and bonds prices. 

"He's not honest. He doesn't follow the laws and, the big thing, he blatant ignored a unanimous decision by the U.S. Supreme Court. You just don't do that. It scares the shit out me.

"I think we've crossed over the line," Carse said. "What can we do? We can do this (protesting)."

Andrew Gates, 14, stood with his dog, Cozy, and held a sign, "Hands Off Canada," he'd just made beneath a small canopy.

"There's been an erosion of checks and balances and, if we do nothing, that'll be our undoing," Gates said as cars drove by on Alyeska Highway and honked. 

Girdwood demonstrators were joined by a cutout of Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders. Sanders’ recent swing through western states, on a "Fighting Oligarchy Tour", brought crowds in the tens of thousands.

A local teacher held a sign pointing out cuts to two federal agencies that affect her children. Her son is a commerical fisher and her daughter a doctoral candidate in medical research. Her daughter lost grant funding and she fears cuts to the National Oceanic Atmospheric and Administration will impact monitoring of industrial trawlers for bycatch.

A car races by protesters on the corner of Hightower and Alyeska. Many drivers honked their horns and gave a thumbs up to the group. (Photo by Soren Wuerth)

Jan Bucy, visiting her sister Kathy Trautner, said they were walking by the Post Office and she asked her sister what people were doing on the corner, then they joined in.

Bucy, who is from Washington, said she'd recently attended a march in Seattle with more than 30,000 people. 

After an hour, the cluster of protesters gathered for a photo then went their separate ways. 

 Longtime local Larry Daniels helped take down a tent that covered a table with sign-making material. 

"I haven't been to a protest since 1972," Daniels said, referring to mass demonstrations against Pres. Richard Nixon's secret bombings of Cambodia near the end of the Vietnam War. 

"We marched down I-5 in Seattle, blocking traffic," he said. "They weren't too happy about that."