Thousands protest in Washington before of Trump’s inauguration.

WASHINGTON: Thousands of protestors, mostly women, gathered in Washington on Saturday to oppose President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration, with many wearing pink hats, reminiscent of a far bigger protest at his first swearing-in ceremony in 2017.

Protesters gathered at Franklin Park, one of three starting points for the “People’s March” that will pass through downtown, to rally for gender inequality and physical autonomy despite light rain.
different protestors gathered at two different parks near the White House, one focusing on democracy and immigration and the other on local Washington concerns, before proceeding to the march’s final stop at the Lincoln Memorial.

Police vehicles with sirens traveled between the kickoff places.

Protests against Trump’s inauguration are far fewer than in 2017, in part because the American women’s rights movement divided after Trump beat Vice President Kamala Harris in November.

Vendors offered buttons with the hashtags #MeToo and “Love trumps hate,” as well as $10 People’s March flags. Demonstrators held signs that said “Feminists v. Fascists” and “People over Politics.”

“It’s really healing to be here with all of you today in solidarity and togetherness, in the face of what’s going to be some really horrible extremism,” Mini Timmaraju, the leader of advocacy organization Reproductive Freedom for All, told the audience as the event began.

She stated the good news was that abortion rights were still popular despite Trump’s victory, triggering a shout of “We are the majority!”

As Trump prepares to take office on Monday, reproductive rights, environmental, and other women’s groups joined together to organize a march against him and his policies. Trump won all seven battleground states and the popular vote in the November election.