Please ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes of website accessibility
Tens of Thousands Expected to Converge on Washington for March Days Before Trump Takes Office
gvw_ap_news
By Associated Press
Published 5 hours ago on
January 18, 2025

Rebranded People's March set to rally in Washington, addressing broader social justice issues before Trump's inauguration. (AP/Julio Cortez)

Share

WASHINGTON — Eight years since its historic first march, the Women’s March is returning Saturday to the nation’s capital just before President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration.

Rebranded and reorganized, the rally has a new name — the People’s March — as a means to broaden support, especially during a reflective moment for progressive organizing after Trump’s decisive win in November. The Republican takes the oath of office Monday.

From Women’s March to People’s March

Women outraged over Trump’s 2016 presidential win flocked to Washington in 2017 and organized large rallies in cities throughout the country, building the base of a grassroots movement that became known as the Women’s March. The Washington rally alone attracted over 500,000 marchers, and millions more participated in local marches around the country, marking one of the largest single-day demonstrations in U.S. history.

This year, the march is expected to be about one-tenth the size of the first one and comes amid a restrained moment of reflection as many progressive voters navigate feelings of exhaustion, disappointment and despair after Vice President Kamala Harris’ loss. The comparative quiet contrasts sharply with the white-knuckled fury of the inaugural rally as massive crowds shouted demands over megaphones and marched in pink pussyhats in response to Trump’s first election win.

“The reality is that it’s just hard to capture lightning in a bottle,” said Tamika Middleton, managing director at the Women’s March. “It was a really particular moment. In 2017, we had not seen a Trump presidency and the kind of vitriol that that represented.”

Broadening the Movement’s Appeal

The movement fractured after that hugely successful day of protests over accusations that it was not diverse enough. This year’s rebrand as a People’s March is the result of an overhaul intended to broaden the group’s appeal. Saturday’s demonstration will promote themes related to feminism, racial justice, anti-militarization and other issues and will end with discussions hosted by various social justice organizations.

The People’s March is unusual in the “vast array of issues brought together under one umbrella,” said Jo Reger, a sociology professor who researches social movements at Oakland University in Rochester, Michigan. Women’s suffrage marches, for example, were focused on a specific goal of voting rights.

For a broad-based social justice movement such as the march, conflicting visions are impossible to avoid and there is “immense pressure” for organizers to meet everyone’s needs, Reger said. But she also said some discord isn’t necessarily a bad thing.

“Often what it does is bring change and bring in new perspectives, especially of underrepresented voices,” Reger said.

Shifting Focus and Long-Term Goals

Middleton, of the Women’s March, said a massive demonstration like the one in 2017 is not the goal of Saturday’s event. Instead, it’s to focus attention on a broader set of issues — women’s and reproductive rights, LGBTQ rights, immigration, climate and democracy — rather than centering it more narrowly around Trump.

“We’re not thinking about the march as the endgame,” Middleton said. “How do we get those folks who show up into organizations and into their political homes so they can keep fighting in their communities long term?”

RELATED TOPICS:

DON'T MISS

Homes Were Burning and Roads Already Jammed When Pacific Palisades Evacuation Order Came, AP Finds

DON'T MISS

On LA Fire Lines, Inmates Shoulder Heavy Packs and Tackle Dangerous Work for Less Than $30 a Day

DON'T MISS

Trump Says He ‘Most Likely’ Will Give TikTok a 90-Day Extension to Avoid US Ban

DON'T MISS

Maria Chiquita Proves Three Legs Are Just as Good as Four

DON'T MISS

TikTok Says It Will ‘Go Dark’ Unless It Gets Clarity From Biden Following Supreme Court Ruling

DON'T MISS

Ceasefire Between Israel and Hamas Will Go Into Effect Sunday Morning, Officials Say

DON'T MISS

Tens of Thousands Expected to Converge on Washington for March Days Before Trump Takes Office

DON'T MISS

Trump Arrives in Washington for Inaugural Celebrations Marking Return to Power

DON'T MISS

Bird Flu Resurges in Michigan Poultry: Expert Discusses Risks to Humans and Animals

DON'T MISS

Is Capitalism Falling Out of Favor? We Analyzed 400,000 News Stories to Find Out

UP NEXT

On LA Fire Lines, Inmates Shoulder Heavy Packs and Tackle Dangerous Work for Less Than $30 a Day

UP NEXT

Trump Says He ‘Most Likely’ Will Give TikTok a 90-Day Extension to Avoid US Ban

UP NEXT

Maria Chiquita Proves Three Legs Are Just as Good as Four

UP NEXT

TikTok Says It Will ‘Go Dark’ Unless It Gets Clarity From Biden Following Supreme Court Ruling

UP NEXT

Ceasefire Between Israel and Hamas Will Go Into Effect Sunday Morning, Officials Say

UP NEXT

Tens of Thousands Expected to Converge on Washington for March Days Before Trump Takes Office

UP NEXT

Trump Arrives in Washington for Inaugural Celebrations Marking Return to Power

UP NEXT

Bird Flu Resurges in Michigan Poultry: Expert Discusses Risks to Humans and Animals

UP NEXT

Is Capitalism Falling Out of Favor? We Analyzed 400,000 News Stories to Find Out

UP NEXT

Water News: Pact Secures Federal Money for Dam Raise, Promotions at Westlands

Maria Chiquita Proves Three Legs Are Just as Good as Four

4 hours ago

TikTok Says It Will ‘Go Dark’ Unless It Gets Clarity From Biden Following Supreme Court Ruling

4 hours ago

Ceasefire Between Israel and Hamas Will Go Into Effect Sunday Morning, Officials Say

5 hours ago

Tens of Thousands Expected to Converge on Washington for March Days Before Trump Takes Office

5 hours ago

Trump Arrives in Washington for Inaugural Celebrations Marking Return to Power

5 hours ago

Bird Flu Resurges in Michigan Poultry: Expert Discusses Risks to Humans and Animals

7 hours ago

Is Capitalism Falling Out of Favor? We Analyzed 400,000 News Stories to Find Out

7 hours ago

Water News: Pact Secures Federal Money for Dam Raise, Promotions at Westlands

21 hours ago

Israel’s Cabinet Approves Deal for Gaza Ceasefire, Hostage Release

21 hours ago

Attorneys Say Utility May Have Destroyed Evidence of What Caused Deadly LA-Area Fire

21 hours ago

Homes Were Burning and Roads Already Jammed When Pacific Palisades Evacuation Order Came, AP Finds

The first evacuation order covering neighborhoods closest to the start of the devastating Pacific Palisades wildfire didn’t come until...

24 minutes ago

24 minutes ago

Homes Were Burning and Roads Already Jammed When Pacific Palisades Evacuation Order Came, AP Finds

3 hours ago

On LA Fire Lines, Inmates Shoulder Heavy Packs and Tackle Dangerous Work for Less Than $30 a Day

3 hours ago

Trump Says He ‘Most Likely’ Will Give TikTok a 90-Day Extension to Avoid US Ban

Maria Chiquita, a playful and loving three-legged pup, is ready to bring endless joy, cuddles, and heartwarming charm to her forever family. (Mell's Mutts)
4 hours ago

Maria Chiquita Proves Three Legs Are Just as Good as Four

4 hours ago

TikTok Says It Will ‘Go Dark’ Unless It Gets Clarity From Biden Following Supreme Court Ruling

5 hours ago

Ceasefire Between Israel and Hamas Will Go Into Effect Sunday Morning, Officials Say

5 hours ago

Tens of Thousands Expected to Converge on Washington for March Days Before Trump Takes Office

5 hours ago

Trump Arrives in Washington for Inaugural Celebrations Marking Return to Power

Help continue the work that gets you the news that matters most.

Search

Send this to a friend