Around 100 people armed with protest posters and American flags held a March for Democracy in downtown Cordova on Presidents’ Day Monday to protest the firing of hundreds of thousands of federal employees nationwide, including some right in their community.
While the weather was a bit rainy and chilly, but “it wasn’t enough to deter the crowd,” said march organizer Signe Baumann.
Baumann said she decided to organize the march because of her concerns of what President Donald Trump and Elon Musk, the unelected official chosen by Trump to run the Department of Government Efficiency, have done in recent weeks.
“Recently several people whom I personally know have lost their jobs with the federal government,” Baumann said. “Myself and others were feeling angry and sad.”
Baumann said she is all for eliminating waste in government, but this approach struck her as ineffective and damaging to all those impacted, and was not making change in a positive way.
The event itself was spontaneous, not endorsed by any individual, business or other entity, she said.
“We wanted to get together and be a support system for each other and support community members who are hurting right now,” she said.
But what did the march itself accomplish?
“For me it was about finding community, gathering with like-minded people in a small town,” she said. “You still don’t know where people land on the political spectrum, but it was nice to see people out there working for positive change. It was about building community.”
Multiple other communities in Alaska demonstrated on Feb. 17 as well – not just about the federal firings but about many of the actions the Trump administration has made since the president’s inauguration. The largest protests took place in Anchorage, outside the state capitol in Juneau, and in Fairbanks.
Baumann said those who participated in the march were inspired, excited, and are looking forward to future events and providing support for one another.
A lone counter protestor in a vehicle with tinted windows and a Trump bumper sticker drove by the marchers, but didn’t disrupt the demonstrators, according to Baumann. Several cars drove by, with occupants honking and waving support.
“Overall it was a very positive experience,” she said.
While the protest took place near the Cordova Chamber of Commerce building – the Chamber emphasized it’s a nonprofit and nonpartisan organization, and not a host or organizer of the demonstration.
Sen. Lisa Murkowski has been critical of the manner in which Trump’s federal downsizing has happened. Sen. Dan Sullivan and Rep. Nick Begich had declined comment as of Feb. 17.
This story was updated at 9:59 a.m. on Feb. 19 to include information from the Cordova Chamber of Commerce.
