Women's March: 500,000 people take to the streets of Washington amid global Trump protests - as it happened
Up to 2.5 million people gather at demonstrations all over the world
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.More than half a million have gathered in Washington to protest Donald Trump's inauguration, while millions of others - including an estimated 100,000 people marching through London - have taken part in demonstrations around the world. Here are how events unfolded:
- When and where are the women's marches taking place?
- Antarctica among locations of almost 700 marches
- All the US protests taking place in one map
- 'It might not change anything but we cannot stay silent'
- Some of the stars performing at the Washington march
- UK demonstrators call for #bridgesnotwalls
- Violence breaks out after anti-Trump protests
- What Donald Trump has planned for his first day
Please wait a moment for the live blog to load
Women's Marches are a collective of events against the 45th President are taking place at different cities around the world. The London march is expected to be among the biggest outside the US, with thousands of protesters attending from noon.
Thousands more are expected to march on New York and Washington, while protests have also taken place in countries including Australia and New Zealand.
Organisers say they decided to organise the action due to their distress and dismay at the politician's election. Although originating in the US, off-shoots soon emerged around the world as others overseas sought to show solidarity.
Mr Trump was criticised for expressing misogynistic beliefs during the election campaign. Such criticisms intensified as video footage emerged of the politician appearing to gloat about committing sexual assault.
He has also been accused of having "ableist" attitudes after mocking a journalist who has a disability.
Concerns have also been raised that Mr Trump denies climate change and has been critical of LGBT rights.
The march is billed as "woman-led" but welcomes "people of all genders".
In its mission statement, the march organisers say: "We will march, wherever we march, for the protection of our fundamental rights and for the safeguarding of freedoms threatened by recent political events. We unite and stand together for the dignity and equality of all peoples, for the safety and health of our planet and for the strength of our vibrant and diverse communities.
"We will come together in the spirit of democracy, honouring the champions of human rights who have gone before us. Please spread the word, so that our numbers are too great to ignore and the message to the world is clear.The politics of fear and division have no place in 2017."
High profile speakers including Labour MPs Yvette Cooper and Stella Creasy are to address the crowds.
Here is the full list of UK cities and towns holding events, according to central Women's March organisers. Get on down!
United Kingdom
The Associated Press has been interviewing some of the women arriving for the march in Washington:
Rena Wilson, of Charlotte, North Carolina, said she hopes the women can send Trump a message that they're “not going anywhere.” Joy Rodriguez, of Miami, arrived with her husband, William, and their two daughters, ages 12 and 10. “I want to make sure their rights are not infringed on in these years coming up,” Joy Rodriguez said. Retired teacher Linda Lastella, 69, who came from Metuchen, New Jersey, said she had never marched before but felt the need to speak out when “many nations are experiencing this same kind of pullback and hateful, hateful attitudes.” “It just seemed like we needed to make a very firm stand of where we were,” she said. Rose Wurm, 64, a retired medical secretary from Bedford, Pennsylvania, boarded a Washington-bound bus in Hagerstown, Maryland, at 7 a.m. carrying two signs: one asking Trump to stop tweeting, and one asking him to fix, not trash, the Obamacare health law. “There are parts of it that do need change. It's something new, something unique that's not going to be perfect right out of the gate,” she said.
Support for Black Lives Matter at the Women's March On London http://pbs.twimg.com/media/C2s1JbqWgAM8t0T.jpg
Support for Black Lives Matter at the Women's March on London http://pbs.twimg.com/media/C2s1O93XEAEDwhG.jpg
When I asked this woman why she was marching against Trump, she was speechless "where do I start?"
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments