The day after the recent inauguration of a new President, millions of protesters marched in more than 600 events held world-wide. The protest in Washington, DC, drew about three to five times the numbers at the inauguration, by different estimates. It may have been the largest demonstration ever held there, rivaling the 1969 protest against the Vietnam War.
At least 500,000 demonstrated in Washington and in Los Angeles, 200,000 in New York and in Chicago, 150,000 in Boston and many hundreds of thousands in at least 300 other U.S. cities–all together the largest single day of demonstrations in U.S. history. Many more hundreds of thousands demonstrated in London, Paris, Buenos Aries, Mexico City, New Delhi, Sydney and hundreds of other locales on all the continents.
Despite its enormous scale, the Washington, DC, protest did not result in arrests. No major incidents were reported from any of the other U.S. events. Protesters called for respecting women’s rights and civil rights and for promoting friendship. “Love Trumps Hate” was a common theme–mocking the sexist, racist, hate-filled campaign conducted by last year’s winning candidate.
True to form: The recently installed President, who campaigned like a sleazebag, began governing like a jerk. His first full day in office sounded like a two-year-old’s tantrum. According to Julie Pace of Associated Press:
“[With] a memorial to fallen CIA agents…as the backdrop, [Trump claimed that] journalists are ‘the most dishonest human beings on Earth.’ Looking out at an audience of men and women who have played a direct role in the nation’s wars against terrorism, Trump said, ‘I have a running war with the media.’ High-level CIA leaders stood silently as the commander-in-chief unleashed his off-topic attacks….”
John O. Brennan, the outgoing CIA director, called out the incident, saying he was “deeply saddened and angered” at the remarks. According to a wire-service report based on interviews with participants, “Many people felt used and awkward.”
The new President has nominated a rigidly reactionary slate of appointees and touted a hostile, insulting approach to government. He has gone far outside conservatism into a cult of personality. For better or worse, he has already ignited flames of conflict within his administration and with Congress.
– Craig Bolon, Brookline, MA, January 22, 2017
Alanna Durkin Richer, Tami Abdollah, Juliet Linderman, Brian Witte, Matthew Barakat and David Dishneau, Associated Press, Defiant women to Trump: your agenda won’t go unchallenged, Action News (Pittsburgh, PA), January 22, 2017
Colin Dwyer, Maggie Penman, Mandalit del Barco and Frank Langfitt, Women’s Marches go global: postcards from protests around the world, (U.S.) National Public Radio, January 21, 2017
Jason Easley, Women’s March is the biggest protest in U.S. history as an estimated 2.9 million march, Politicus USA (Los Angeles), January 21, 2017
Timothy B. Lee, Aerial photos show large crowds at Women’s Marches across the country, Vox (New York City), January 21, 2017
John Wright, DC Metro reports second busiest day in history for Women’s March, behind Obama inauguration. NCRM News (Washington, DC), January 22, 2017
Associated Press, More than 1 million trips taken on DC rail system for Women’s March, Action News (Pittsburgh, PA), January 22, 2017
Jessica Rice and Heather Navarro, 750 thousand flock to downtown LA for Women’s March, NBC Los Angeles, January 21, 2017
Evan Allen, Eric Moskowitz, Laura Crimaldi, Patricia Wen and Nicole Fleming, Boston rally draws up to 175,000, officials say, Boston Globe, January 21, 2017
Julie Pace, Associated Press, Trump promises big change but picks small fights, WTOP (Washington, DC), January 22, 2017
Jonathan Lemire and Jill Colvin, Trump uses bogus claim to knock media on reports, Associated Press, January 22, 2017
Ryan Browne, Former CIA chief Brennan bashes Trump over speech during CIA visit, Cable Network News, January 22, 3017
Jonathan Martin, Inaugural speech dims GOP hopes for a more conservative Trump agenda, New York Times, January 21, 2017
Doina Chiacu and Jason Lange, White House vows to fight media ‘tooth and nail’ over Trump coverage, Reuters (UK), January 22, 2017
Peter Baker, Glenn Thrush and Maggie Haberman, Rocky first weekend for Trump troubling top aides, New York Times, January 22, 2017