Thousands of women descended on the U.S. capital on Saturday (January 19) to mark the second anniversary of demonstrations that drew millions of protesters to the streets the day after Republican President Donald Trump‘s inauguration in January 2017.
Demonstrators congregated in front of the Trump International Hotel in downtown Washington DC chanting “Hey Hey Ho Ho Donald Trump has got to go” and “Hey Hey Ho Ho White Supremacy has got to go.”
Smaller groups joined the march including Muslim and Latin American women. Some men also participated.
The atmosphere was festive but largely defiant with many sporting the iconic pink hats that marked the first march in 2017.
A smaller alternative rally called the “March for ALL Women” popped up near the national event.
Co-organizer Patrice Onwuka explained that participants in the alternate rally had come together because they felt that many of their more conservative positions where not accepted by the national demo.
Meanwhile, hundreds of additional women’s marches got underway in cities such as Boston, Houston, Baltimore and Denver.
March leaders said they would use this year’s marches to push policy related to raising the minimum wage, access to reproductive and healthcare and voting rights, among other issues.
They are aiming to mobilize women to vote ahead of the 2020 elections, when Trump is expected to be the Republican nominee for president.
