Marchers at rallies across nation exhort women to vote

Demonstrators also protest Trump’s pick for Supreme Court.

WASHINGTON— Wearing costumes and carrying signs, thousands of people gathered for the Women’s March in downtown Washington and cities across the country Saturday to protest the Supreme Court nomination of Judge Amy Coney Barrett and to build momentum to vote President Trump out of the White House.

Nearly four years after an election that galvanized millions of protesters to march in cities nationwide — many of them for the first time — Women’s March leaders hope to bring a final show of force before Nov. 3 with a rally in the nation’s capital and in more than 429 marches across all 50 states. Organizers say more than 116,000 people had pledged to march or participate in other actions Saturday.

“Everything we’ve been doing has been leading up to this,” said Caitlin Breedlove, deputy executive director of organizational advancement for the Women's March. “We’re not only in resistance. We’re actually fighting for what we need to build.”

The march is taking place days before the Senate holds its first vote to confirm Barrett to replace the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, a liberal leader and feminist icon. The Senate Judiciary Committee is scheduled to vote Thursday on the nomination of Barrett, who would cement the conservative advantage on the court. The Republican majority is expected to approve the nomination.

Amid the protesters decked out in bright pink hats and bejeweled face masks, 7-year- old twins Harriet and Myles Gilliam of Boston sat next to their mother. Harriet, who was dressed as Ginsburg, complete with lace collar, was taking part inher third Women’s March. Myles was dressed in a suit and held a sign that resembled the one held by the late congressman John Lewis, D-Ga., in his iconic 1961 mug shot taken after he was arrested for using a bathroom reserved for white people in Mississippi.

“You can use social media all you want, but there’s something to be said about showing up,” said Justina Gilliam, 40, who said she had attended every Women’s March in Washington.

This year’s event has an urgency akin to the first one, she said. “There’s a desperation to it.”

At the same time, a counterprotest organized by a conservative women’ s organization took place at the Supreme Court. An “I’m With Her” rally in support of Barrett was organized by the Independent Women’s Forum to send the message that the Women’ s March participants“do not speak for all women.”

Each year since pink-hatted women first flooded the nation’s capital the day after President Trump’s inauguration in 2017, the Women’s March has organized marches in January nationwide, promoting a list of policy demands and helping motivate women to run for office in record numbers. But the marches in recent years have drawn smaller crowds than the first historic showing. The national organization has at times struggled to remain relevant, as scores of its initial attendees have redirected their attention toward other causes.

At the most recent Women’ s March in January, some attendees said they hoped they wouldn’t need to march again following the 2020 election.

MARY ALTAFFER/AP Demonstrators rally during theWomen’s March outside theNewYorkStock Exchange on Saturday. Dozens ofWomen’s March rallieswere planned fromNewYork to San Francisco to signal opposition toPresident Donald Trumpand his policies.