Nome joined communities across Alaska in protesting President Donald Trump and his administration’s policies as part of nationwide No Kings protests. According to the Alaska Beacon, at least 25 communities in Alaska held the protests.
No Kings organizers told NPR there were 2,600 registered events nationwide including in Nome, Anchorage and Juneau.
Nome residents rallied at Anvil City Square and held up signs under the Iditarod’s burled arch finish line. The crowd of about 30 people held signs like “THE ONLY KING I WANT IS A KING SALMON” and “I need to be able to tell my child that I did not remain silent".
Nome resident Adam Lust took part in the demonstration. He said there was healthy discourse at the politically-charged event.
“We've had some folks come up and have conversations with people,” Lust said. “We've had some differing views and some discussions and some dialogue. So those are all really cool things to see. That's how it should work in a democracy.”
For Nome resident Ariel Berg, cuts from the Trump administration like a $20m Environmental Protection Agency grant for coastal erosion protection for the hard-hit community of Kipnuk was chief among her concerns.
“There's so many reasons, but the most relevant reason is the EPA funding cut that could have protected communities in the Y-K, and so many other environmental reasons,” Berg said.
In July, the EPA shuttered its scientific research arm that primarily handles environmental policies and regulations — also part of a proposed plan to cut 23% of the EPA’s staff, which would save $748.8 million, according to NPR.
In a July statement, EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin said the staffing cuts followed a “close look” at its operations.
“This reduction in force will ensure we can better fulfill that mission while being responsible stewards of your hard-earned tax dollars,” Zeldin said.
The protestors eventually moved up from the burled arch to form a line facing the road. There, they received honks of both approval and disapproval as one of the season’s first significant snow showers fell.
