Kenai Peninsula protests Putin’s Alaska visit

Community members in Homer and Soldotna joined multiple other protests throughout the state on Friday in response to Russian leader Vladimir Putin’s meeting with President Donald Trump in Anchorage.

According to MarchAgainst.org, protests were held over the weekend, starting Thursday, in Homer, Soldotna, Anchorage, Girdwood, Wasilla, Juneau, Ketchikan, Sitka, Valdez, Fairbanks and Petersburg.

Trump announced the meeting on social media last week. Per reporting by the Alaska Beacon, Friday’s talks ended earlier than expected, and “without announcing a breakthrough in negotiations to end Russia’s three-year-old invasion of Ukraine.”

“It was a nothing burger,” Dan Perry said in Soldotna on Friday, standing at the side of the Sterling Highway alongside over 100 people carrying Ukrainian flags and signs expressing support for the country. Perry said that he was relieved that Trump hadn’t made any major concessions to Putin, but also said he didn’t think Alaska should have been the setting for the meeting.

“We don’t need this kind of politics up here.”

Homer’s protest, organized by Homer Women of Action, took place at the intersection of the Sterling Highway and Lake Street amidst the afternoon rush hour. By 4:15 p.m., more than 100 people had gathered on the street corners. Organizers said at the end of the protest that they’d counted 120 people taking part.

One protester in Homer, who asked to remain anonymous, said that she was “absolutely appalled that Putin came to the U.S.”

“It sickens me,” she said.

Rhoda Roedl said she “wasn’t a big protester until January.”

“We shouldn’t welcome war criminals to the U.S.,” she said. “We should support sovereign nations, especially our allies, in their sovereignty.”

Kat Minton, visiting from California, said that the U.S. should support Ukraine, but that instead Trump “rolled out the red carpet for a dictator.”

Nancy Lord said she came to the protest after watching the news Friday afternoon, and that she was disgusted by Trump. Like others gathered in protest, she reiterated that “America needs to stand with Ukraine.”

According to another protester, “If Trump had any balls, he would arrest Putin and put him where he belongs — in custody. He’s got an international warrant against him.”

“He could stop the war and be a hero. Instead, he’s Putin’s puppet,” she said.

The protest in Homer was largely a peaceful event, with drivers honking their horns in support and waving or sharing a thumbs-up with the gathered crowd. Former state representative Paul Seaton said “it’s been really great to see the energy.”

Back in Soldotna, Perry said that he supports Ukraine in its efforts to resist oppression from Russia. He said he wanted to see the United States do more to protect its ally.

Sue Smalley, one of the organizers of the Soldotna protest with Many Voices, said Putin doesn’t deserve a role in deciding what land should be swapped — like Trump alluded might be among the elements of a ceasefire deal earlier in the week — in a country that he’s attempting to seize illegally. It’s unfortunate, Smalley said, that so much time and money was spent on the political stunt.

Still, Smalley said that she was emboldened to see Alaskans across the state use their voices in protest of the two visiting heads of state.

“I’m really proud of Alaska,” she said. “We’re not going to stop.”