Women’s marches draw big crowds around the globe

CHICAGO >> Legions of women flooded streets and city squares from Sydney to South Carolina on Saturday, marching in solidarity as a show of empowerment and a stand against Donald Trump.

More than 600 “sister marches” were planned across the country and abroad in conjunction with the Women’s March on Washington, which drew hundreds of thousands to the capital a day after Trump became president of the United States.

Turnout was high at many of the rallies, requiring some protesters to make last-minute adjustments. In Chicago, so many people turned out that organizers canceled a march through downtown for safety reasons and instead extended a rally at a park.

Here’s a closer look at some of the marches taking place around the world:

Moyo said she was initially worried about Trump’s policies but has come to believe he will inspire resistance.

“I just feel a huge amount of celebration and optimism for the future,” she said.

Police described the event as entirely peaceful with no arrests.

Protesters, including many men, displayed a grab-bag of grievances about the new president’s policies. Some criticized his view on climate change and the proliferation of nuclear weapons. Others cited his treatment of women and minorities.

“It’s important because Trump wants to destroy 50 years of progress, he wants to go back to smoke coming out of factories and women staying home and having babies,” Tiracchia said. “He won’t change. He doesn’t care. But we have to show we don’t agree with him.”

More than 40 feminist and anti-racist groups organized the Paris march.

“His words are against women. His actions have been against women,” Munnerlyn said. “I had to come out.”

Several thousand women filled the Statehouse steps with signs like “Make America Think Again” and “You Can’t Comb Over Sexism.” They chanted “Black Lives Matter” and “Health Care For All” before walking around the capitol grounds and to a nearby business to plan for more protests.

Trump’s speech rekindled Munnerlyn’s worst fears about the next four years.

“The next war won’t be started by sinking a ship. I fear it will be started by a bad tweet,” Munnerlyn said.

Sarah Gospodar likened the chilly, damp rally at Trenton’s War Memorial to the civil rights marches of the 1960s, when people came together peacefully to effect change.

“As a middle-aged black woman, I’ve seen a lot in my life — things that divided this country and things that united it,” the 53-year-old Ewing woman said. “And these issues we address today are things that should unite us. How can anyone be against equal pay and fair and equal rights for all Americans?”

Gospodar acknowledged she’s no fan of Trump but said she will give him the chance to “show he really does want to make America great.” She said if Trump’s opponents want respect for their views, they must show the president and his backers the same respect.

Mary Morrisey, 35, of Trenton, said she didn’t mind standing in the cold because the demonstration was an opportunity to make things better for people across the nation, especially LGBT people and minorities. She held a handmade sign that read “Girls just want to have fundamental rights.”

“We may go about things differently, but we all want the same thing: life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness,” Morrisey said. 26. She is in Myanmar working for an organization called Mote Oo Education for Curriculum Development.

Paylor said Trump’s election and the United Kingdom’s Brexit vote motivated people to get involved.

“I think these things have energized a lot of people and made many people, especially women, very angry about what they may have to deal with in the coming years,” she said.