Mary-ellen Lambert dressed as the Statue of Liberty at downtown protest. Photo by Hannah Dillon.
The Northern Light spoke with “Hand’s Off!” protesters on April 5 in Town Square Park.
According to the Anchorage Daily News, thousands of protesters lined the sidewalks while chanting and displaying signs in opposition to recent Trump administration actions.
Mary-ellen Lambert was a protester dressed as the Statue of Liberty. She held a sign reading “Hands off our civil liberties! We demand: due process, humane conditions and no El Salvador.”
Lambert said “Well, I come to all of the protests because everything he’s doing is wrong in my book, but I can't even sleep at night for the way they snatch up people, no due process.”
“If they can do it to one of us, they can do it to any of us.”
Lambert said the people of the U.S. do not have much power alone and benefit from standing together.
“We’re all stronger together.”
Protester Jill Rush said her reason for protesting is due to, “all of the freedoms being taken away, that are being bastardized.”
“I’m so happy to see so many people out here,” she said.
Protester Barbara Hendricksen waited at a stop light as the majority of the protest marched away from town square.
“I fear for the survival of my country as we know it. And if we don't all show up and speak out and do everything in our power, we will lose our power,” said Hendricksen.
“And I’m unwilling to stand by and let that happen. And I’m gratified to have as many people here that feel the same.”
As vehicles passed protesters, a cacophony of horns rang throughout downtown streets. While cars waited at stop lights, drivers rolled down their windows and expressed their support of the protesters.
Another national protest took place downtown on April 19 with nearly the same turnout as the previous protest. According to Stand Up Alaska event organizer Erin Jackson-Hill, the next scheduled protest will be on May 1.
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