More than 200 Sitkans marched down Lincoln Street Wednesday to protest actions of the Trump administration and encourage people to speak out to protect democracy.

The March for Democracy and Against Government Overreach was preceded by some prepared speeches at the Crescent Harbor shelter. From there the marchers went around the back of Centennial Hall, and from there to Lincoln Street at the traffic light corner. After marching through downtown Sitka to Totem Square, the group gathered in a circle around the perimeter of the park. They passed a bullhorn around and people came forward to share their views on the threats to democracy they see in actions set in motion by President Donald Trump.

Wednesday's event was organized by Sitkans for Peace and Democracy. At the front of the marching group for the walk down Lincoln Street were a military veteran carrying an American flag and a group carrying a banner decorated with two American flags and displaying the message “Sitkans For Peace and Democracy.”

Marchers carried homemade signs and a number of sculptures, including one of the Statue of Liberty on wheels, with a list of federal programs or Sitka connections to federal funding that are under threat, such as the Indian Health Service, the Pacific Salmon Treaty and public radio.

Signs had messages about a wide range of issues, including Ukraine, Palestine, federal government reductions, the new federal Department of Government Efficiency, executive overreach, and the importance of diversity, healthy democracy, and good-faith action.

Tori Hay, one of the organizers, was one of three planned speakers at the shelter.

“We may have very different reasons for being here today but one very likely reason is that we want to protest the sweeping presidential overreach by President Trump that is rapidly impacting our nation, and to inspire ourselves to take action – to never let the seemingly unrelenting actions by the administration cause our apathy. Let’s exercise our protected right to peacefully protest,” she said.

Tory O’Connell Curran, another organizer, spoke of the common overwhelming feeling that the “guardrails that keep us a democracy and not an autocracy are stressed to breaking,” but that it is possible through protesting and speaking out to make a difference.

“... Resistance to presidential overreach is working and will continue to work if we show up,” she said. “We protect our right to free speech by using it and we keep our democracy by practicing it. We are stronger when we can come together with our varied perspectives around a shared democracy.”

Organizer Harvey Brandt also spoke, commending Sen. Lisa Murkowski for her passionate address to the Alaska Legislature on Tuesday, challenging actions by the Trump administration.

Murkowski was meeting with local leaders inside Centennial Hall, and as the marchers passed by took note of the peaceful demonstration.

“People are anxious and they don’t know what to do, and so they organize protests, even though they were going to do this with or without me, without knowing I was in town," she said. "They’ve organized town halls, knowing that the members won’t be able to be there. But I think it’s not ... harassment at all. It’s oversized frustration and anxiety -- we need to do something.”

At the end of the march at Totem Square, a bullhorn was passed around and dozens of participants shared their concerns, discussed programs that are already being affected by federal cuts, and encouraged others to keep fighting to protect programs, services and rights.

Margot O’Connell, who is a librarian but spoke as a private citizen, told the group that an executive order was issued March 14 that would eliminate several federal agencies including the Institute of Museum and Library Services. 

That federal office supports libraries and museums in all 50 states and U.S. territories. Impacts for Alaska include curtailment of inter-library loan services, she said. Also, she said, the Alaska Digital Library (also known as Libby) will be affected, the talking book center (library materials for disabled Alaskans) will be eliminated, along with the Alaska Library Extension, which connects Alaskans in remote areas to library services.

“It’s a tiny fraction of the federal budget, and the return on investment is massive for people all over the country,” O’Connell added today.

Demonstrators at Totem Park also chimed in to protest the Trump administration's foreign policy approach, and the president's slew of executive orders that target groups such as transgender people and migrants.