Thousands of people gathered in Washington on Saturday to protest ahead of the inauguration of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump.
Activists advocating for women's rights, racial justice and other causes rallied against policies they believe will threaten their constitutional rights during the Republican's second term, Reuters reports.
Protests against Trump
Some of those gathered wore pink hats, which marked much larger protests against Trump's first inauguration in 2017. They walked through downtown in a light rain, past the White House and down the National Mall to the Lincoln Memorial.
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The protests against Trump's inauguration were smaller this time around, in part because the U.S. women's rights movement appears more divided to many activists after Trump's victory over Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris in November, Reuters reports.
Organizers had predicted 50,000 people would take part in the march, while local police were expecting about 25,000.
More than 300 other marches were planned across the country.
Reproductive rights groups have joined civil rights activists rights, environmental protection and other goals to organize a march against Trump.
Donald Trump is set to take office for a second term as president on Monday, taking into account the one-term gap that saw the Republican lose to Democratic President Joe Biden in the 2020 election.
In both of his victories, Trump defeated candidates who would have either become the first female president of the United States: Hillary Clinton in 2016 and Harris last year.
This time, Trump won all seven battleground states to win the popular vote for the first time in two decades.
Trump vowed to make sweeping changes on day one — from immigration raids to the dismantling of parts of the federal government.
— A lot of people are frustrated. A lot of people feel like we've been fighting for the same thing for a long time,” said Olivia Hoffman, 26, who works at the Young Women's Freedom Center in California, which supports impoverished women and transgender youth, and came to the march in the nation's capital with her mother.
As Reuters notes, Saturday's march attracted a wide range of causes — from immigration and democracy issues to climate change and the war in Gaza.
At least one protester denounced Trump's crackdown on Canada, carrying a sign that read “We are not your 51st state”.
Peaceful protests ahead of Trump's inauguration
The protests were largely peaceful, with heightened security, including police cars with sirens blaring, and one protester in a red MAGA hat who appeared at the front of the march was pushed back by authorities, while anti-abortion activists hung graphic signs near the last gathering point of the crowd.
Vendors sold buttons with the slogans #MeToo and “Love Over Hate”.
Demonstrators also carried signs with the slogans “Feminists vs. Fascists” and “People Above Politics”.
Mini Thimmaraju, executive director of the advocacy group Reproductive Freedom for All, praised the crowd for coming together “in the face of what will be truly horrific extremism”.
With Trump's Republicans also in control of Congress and conservatives on the Supreme Court, it's unclear how activists or Democrats will be able to resist Trump's plans.
—I'm glad to see that some people here are hopeful. I'm not like that. I think we're doomed, — said Nancy Robinson, a 65-year-old retired printing and technology professional from Maryland.
More protests are planned for the weekend, including Inauguration Day on Jan. 20.
Civil rights leaders say they will rally and continue to mobilize under a Trump administration.
—It's good to see that people still care. We have to show that there are more of us and we're not going to back down, — said 28-year-old Preeti Murthy, who lives in Washington and works in global health.
Recall that on Monday, January 20, the inauguration of the 47th President of the United States, Donald Trump, will take place. More than 200,000 people are expected to attend the ceremony.
