Thousands march in Washington days before Trump takes office

Associated Press

Washington: Thousands of people from around the US rallied in the nation's capital Saturday for women's reproductive rights and other causes they believe are under threat from the incoming Trump administration, reprising the original Women's March days before President-elect Donald Trump's second inauguration. Eight years after the first historic Women's March at the start of Trump's first term, marchers said they were caught off guard by Trump's victory and are determined now to show that support remains strong for women's access to abortion, for transgender people, for combating climate change and other issues.

The march is just one of several protests, rallies and vigils focused on abortion, rights, immigration rights and the Israel-Hamas war planned in advance of inauguration Monday. Around the country, over 350 similar marches are taking place in every state. Jill Parrish of Austin said she initially bought a plane ticket to Washington for what she expected to be Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris's inauguration. She wound up changing the dates to march in protest ahead of Trump's swearing-in instead, saying the world should know that half of US voters didn't support Trump. “Most importantly, I'm here to demonstrate my fear, about the state of our democracy," Parrish said. Demonstrators staged in squares around Washington ahead of the march, pounding drums and yelling chants under a slate-gray sky and in a chilly wind.

Protesters then marched to the Lincoln Memorial for larger rally and fair, where organizations at the local, state and national level will host information tables. They held signs with slogans including, “Save America” and “Against abortions? Then don't have one” and “Hate won't win.” There were brief moments of tension between protesters and Trump supporters. The march paused briefly when a man in a red Make America Great Again hat and a green camo backpack walked into a line of demonstrators at the front.

Police intervened and separated him from the group peacefully as marchers chanted “We won't take the bait.” As the protesters approached the Washington Monument, a small group of men in MAGA hats walking in the opposite direction appeared to draw the attention of a protest leader with a megaphone.