Thousands of predominantly female demonstrators flooded the streets of Washington, D.C., on Saturday to protest against President-elect Donald Trump, just two days before his inauguration.
The People’s March – previously known as the Women’s March – has occurred yearly since 2017.
A coalition of groups organized the movement to confront “Trumpism,” as stated on its website. Smaller protests against Trump took place in New York City and Seattle.
The rallies align with Trump’s arrival in the nation’s capital for a series of weekend events leading to his swearing-in ceremony on Monday.
Saturday’s People’s March in Washington DC drew smaller numbers than its predecessors.
Event organizers anticipated a turnout of 50,000 attendees. However, approximately 5,000 individuals participated in the event.
Demonstrators gathered at three parks before marching towards the Lincoln Memorial for the rally.
Women who converged in Washington for the People’s March shared with the BBC their diverse range of motivations.
A protester named Brooke passionately voiced her commitment to advocating for abortion access and ensuring that women have the freedom to make choices about their bodies.
“I’m not happy with how our country’s voted,” she said. “I’m sad that our country’s leaned towards a president that’s already failed us once and that we did not nominate a female candidate.”
Another woman, Kayla, said a mix of emotions brought her to the streets of the nation’s capital.
“Honestly, I’m just mad, sad, overwhelmed,” she said.
The inaugural People’s March was organized following Trump’s victory over Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton in 2016.
Women called for a protest the day after Trump’s first inauguration, and hundreds of thousands responded.
The movement spread beyond the nation’s capital with millions of women across the US carrying signs railing against the Republican president and sporting pink knit “pussy hats” – a reference to a leaked tape in which Trump had bragged about grabbing women’s genitals.
In the following years, the Women’s March remained a key part of the so-called resistance to Trump’s agenda.
However, later marches haven’t matched the size of the first event.
Later on Saturday, Trump arrived in Washington, DC, to kick off his inaugural celebrations with a private event at his golf club in the Virginia suburbs, complete with a fireworks display.
