About 40 people marched through Kotzebue on June 14, escorted by police cars. A boombox blasted music and passing cars honked as the group tossed candy to people along their route. Protesters held signs with slogans like “Democracy not Dictatorship” and “Defend the Constitution.”
Ruth Ann Zent is a cofounder of Northwest Arctic Takes Action, a grassroots political group based in Kotzebue that formed in late April. She said this was the first event of its kind in Kotzebue.
“It felt like a celebration,” she said. “I feel like we're not alone, we're together. We had fun. We were speaking our mind and safely doing so, doing it in a nonviolent way, and not breaking any laws.”
Zent said the event is part of a nationwide movement called No Kings, a protest of Trump’s policies since taking office.
Stand UP Alaska, a grassroots organization focused on social justice, said more than three dozen communities and 12,000 people across Alaska participated in similar events.
The protests coincided with President Donald Trump’s birthday and a parade to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the formation of the U.S. Army.
Zent said holding the “No Kings” protest on the same day as the military procession, was intentional.
“$25 to $45 million is being spent on that,” said Zent. “Medicaid is being cut. Our nutritional assistance is being cut and things that specifically affect Kotzebue — our radio station, our library, our National Park Service.”
Resident Herb Sweezey said it was his first time attending any protest in Kotzebue. He said the Trump administration’s treatment of immigrants was his motivation for marching.
“Even in rural communities, we're still standing up for basic human rights,” Sweezey said. “We've been watching how the ICE raids have been going, and how they're treating people inhumanely, and I've just been filled with the passion to stand up.”
Another Kotzebue resident, Joshua Hadley, said he’s marching because of his concerns about Trump’s foreign policies, tariffs and global unrest.
“Go to the store, all the prices are going up,” said Hadley “It's because of these supply chains, these wars. It's bad for the economy, and we are all going to suffer.”
Zent said the group is also concerned about funding for scientific research, education, veterans and government employees. But, she said, the group's 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,” Zent said. “I feel like they are not being followed. Many of us feel the same, and we wanted to stand up for our rights before something gets taken away.”
Zent said Northwest Arctic Takes Action meets regularly and welcomes everyone that shares the similar concerns. Zent said the group does not receive outside funding and emphasizes respectful, nonviolent actions.
