Thousands marched across the United States on Saturday to take part in the second “Women’s March” that coincides with the first anniversary of Donald Trump’s inauguration as president. The marches are aimed at turning women’s activism into political gains in mid-term congressional elections this year.
The marches, in Washington, New York, Los Angeles and around 250 other cities across the United States and abroad, are a second version of mass protests that coincided with the inauguration of Trump. Similar marches are scheduled for Britain, Japan and other countries.
New York is expected to see the biggest rally with 37,000 Facebook subscribers.
But the number of marchers this year will probably be much lower than the estimated 5 million marchers on January 21, 2017, making it one of the largest protest marches in US history.
Thousands of people in Chicago, most of them women, gathered to start a march.
Organizers of the protests hope to build on the feelings of Trump’s opponents after his surprise victory in the presidential election and turn that energy into gains for progressive candidates in midterm elections scheduled for November.
The organizers aim to register about one million new voters themselves and to mobilize strong supporters of women’s rights and push them into official positions.
A White House spokesman declined to respond to a request to comment on the marches.
The rallies will be followed by other rallies on Sunday, including one in Las Vegas, chosen by organizers to honor the city, which saw the largest mass shooting incident in recent US history in August. Nevada is also the scene of a major battle in midterm elections this year.
The voter registration campaign targets so-called swing-controlled states controlled by Republicans, including Nevada, as well as areas where the chances of candidates winning the November elections are equal.