Thousands to March in D.C. Ahead of Trump Inauguration

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Tens of thousands of activists are preparing to gather in the nation’s capital Saturday for The People’s March, a demonstration organized by grassroots groups ahead of President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration. The event, led by the same organizers behind the 2017 Women’s March, will focus on issues such as immigration, racial justice, reproductive rights, and climate change.

“Talking about immigration, talking about peace, talking about abortion access, talking about racial justice and reproductive justice,” said Tamika Middleton, managing director for Women’s March. “We are trying to create opportunities for people to be together, and that’s really our message, is for people to find ways for them to engage with each other.”

The march will begin at three meet-up locations across downtown D.C.: Farragut Square, where groups will focus on democracy, immigration, climate, and military issues; Franklin Park, a starting point for gender justice activists, women’s rights, and LGBTQ+ groups; and McPherson Square, a hub for local grassroots organizations. Participants will then converge at the Lincoln Memorial for a rally scheduled from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.

Megan Salmon, a representative from Spaces in Action, emphasized the strategic nature of the resistance. “Organizers have been preparing for a moment like this for way longer than it was talked about,” Salmon said. “It wasn’t just since the election, it wasn’t just since the campaign trail. I do think that the resistance is strategic, but I do think that’s not just a reflection of the moment we’re in. I think it’s a longer-term fight.”

Similar protests are planned nationwide, with more than 700 events expected on Inauguration Day. In New York City, the People’s Forum and the Palestinian Youth Movement will lead a rally in Washington Square Park, demanding a future that prioritizes workers’ rights, immigrant rights, and environmental justice. In Miami, the local chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) will host a protest at the Torch of Friendship, voicing opposition to the incoming administration’s policies.

Adam Medina, external co-chair for Miami DSA, highlighted the broader movement’s solidarity. “This is an administration that will no doubt threaten the livelihoods of countless marginalized people that have already suffered greatly,” Medina said. “We’re protesting Trump because of the policies that will be perpetuated and [be] awful, and that’ll surely make the lives of working people even worse than they already are.”

Medina also stressed the importance of building alternatives to the two-party system. “Our rebuke is that working people have got to build the alternatives that will liberate them,” he said. “The Democratic Party is just another layer of the capitalist party that despite having some disagreements with [Trump], on his policies they, by and large, do represent the same ruling class.”

As the nation braces for the inauguration, activists remain committed to their cause, emphasizing the need for systemic change and solidarity among marginalized communities.