By Gabriella BorterWASHINGTON (Reuters) – Thousands of people, predominantly women, gathered in Washington on Saturday to voice their opposition to the upcoming inauguration of President-elect Donald Trump. Many attendees donned pink hats reminiscent of the widespread protests seen during Trump’s first inauguration in 2017.
At Franklin Park, one of the designated starting points for the “People’s March” set to wind its way through downtown Washington, demonstrators assembled despite light rain to advocate for gender equality and individual bodily autonomy. Concurrently, other groups of protesters congregated at two nearby parks in the vicinity of the White House. One faction focused on issues related to democracy and immigration, while another addressed local concerns specific to Washington. Following these initial gatherings, participants commenced their march, converging at the Lincoln Memorial for a final united demonstration.
Throughout the city, the presence of law enforcement was noticeable, with police vehicles traversing between the various rally points with sirens blaring. Notably, the scale of protests against Trump’s impending inauguration appeared diminished compared to the significant turnout witnessed in 2017. This decline has been attributed in part to divisions within the U.S. women’s rights movement following Trump’s victory over Vice President Kamala Harris in the recent election.
Amidst the activism, vendors seized the opportunity to offer merchandise such as buttons emblazoned with the slogans #MeToo and “Love trumps hate,” alongside People’s March flags available for purchase at $10 each. Protesters prominently displayed posters bearing messages like “Feminists v. Fascists” and “People over politics” to amplify their voices.
Addressing the gathered crowd at the commencement of the events, Mini Timmaraju, the leader of advocacy group Reproductive Freedom for All, expressed solidarity and resilience in the face of perceived extremism. Timmaraju underscored the enduring popularity of abortion rights despite Trump’s electoral success, leading chants affirming, “We are the majority!”
The march itself was a collaborative effort involving reproductive rights organizations, civil rights advocates, environmental groups, and various women’s organizations united in their opposition to Trump and his policy agenda ahead of his impending inauguration on Monday. Notably, Trump secured victories in all seven battleground states and claimed the popular vote during the November election.
(Reporting by Gabriella Borter; editing by Heather Timmons and Rod Nickel)
