Thousands of demonstrators, most of them women, took to the streets of Washington, D.C., on Saturday, to protest against President-elect Donald Trump two days before his inauguration.
The People's March – formerly known as the Women's March – has been held every year since 2017.
A coalition of groups organized the movement with the stated goal of confronting “Trumpism,” according to its website. Smaller protests against Trump were held in New York City and on the other side of the country in Seattle.
The marches coincide with Trump's arrival in the nation's capital for a series of events over the weekend in the lead-up to his swearing-in ceremony on Monday.
Getty ImagesSaturday's popular march in Washington, D.C., attracted smaller numbers than its predecessors.
Organizers were expecting 50,000 people to attend. About 5,000 showed up.
The demonstrators gathered in three parks before marching to the Lincoln Memorial to participate in the march.
Getty ImagesThe groups behind the march are described on their website as holding “intersecting identities” and having “diverse issue interests” for various causes such as climate change, immigration and women's rights.
Organizers said they aim to confront Trump by “building on past successes and effective strategies against autocrats.”
A small group of Trump supporters was at the Washington Monument on Saturday. After noticing the men wearing red Make America Great Again hats, a People's March leader approached, holding a megaphone, chanting: “No Trump, no Ku Klux Klan.”
One of the men, Timothy Wallis, told the Associated Press news agency that his friends had just bought Trump hats from a street vendor.
Wallis, 58, of Pocatello, Idaho, said the People's March protesters had “every right” to demonstrate, though he said he felt confused by the rancor.
“It's sad what we've come to as a country,” he said.
Getty ImagesThe first edition of the “People's March” came after Trump's victory over Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton in 2016.
Women called to protest the day after Trump's first inauguration and hundreds of thousands responded.
The movement has extended far beyond the nation's capital, with millions of women across the United States carrying signs attacking the Republican president and wearing pink “pussy hats” — a reference to a leaked tape in which Trump bragged about grabbing women's genitals.
The Women's March has remained a key part of the so-called resistance to Trump's agenda in the years since.
But none of the subsequent marches were on the same scale.
Meanwhile, Trump was scheduled to arrive in Washington, D.C., later on Saturday to kick off his inauguration celebrations with a private event featuring fireworks at his golf club in suburban Virginia.
Getty ImagesThe women who gathered in Washington to participate in the popular march told the BBC that they had diverse motivations.
One woman, Brooke, said she wanted to show her support for abortion access.
“I'm not really happy with the way voting went in our country,” she said. “I'm really sad that our country is leaning toward a president who has already let us down once, and that we haven't nominated a female candidate.”
Another woman, Kayla, said it was a mix of emotions that prompted her to take to the streets of the nation's capital.
“Honestly, I'm angry, sad, overwhelmed,” she said.
Getty ImagesSusie came from the San Francisco Bay Area to demonstrate with her sister, Anne, who lives nearby. They both attended the Women's March after Trump's first inauguration and returned wearing their “pussy hats.”
Susie recalled the crowds of people in 2017. She said she hoped people would continue to take to the streets against Trump's policies.
“This time the risks are higher,” she said. “Trump has become bolder. He has made the billionaire class and the tech class bend.”
Anne also said she realized the protesters were “out of touch” with many Americans.
But she added: “We are still here and we will resist.”
Holly Honderich and Alex Lederman contributed to this report
