From the FT

Organisers hope event will be the biggest political march in DC history

Tens of thousands of protesters have taken to the streets of Washington and other major US cities in one of the biggest US political demonstrations in recent memory — a stark rebuke to Donald Trump in the first hours of his presidency.

By early Saturday morning, tens of thousands of protesters had begun to swarm the Capitol for the Women’s March on Washington, while thousands more were crowding the DC Metro.

More than 100 sister marches are expected to take place in cities across the US, including New York, San Francisco and Boston. Outside the US, large rallies were already under way in cities including Paris, Amsterdam and London, where thousands packed Trafalgar Square.

Occuring just 24 hours after Mr Trump formally took office on the steps of the Capitol, vowing to put “America first” and stop “the American carnage”, the demonstrations come in the wake of a bitter election, and at a time when Mr Trump is already moving swiftly with executive measures.

On Friday, Mr Trump ordered all government agencies to halt the implementation of any new regulation, while also taking the first steps towards his promise of repealing and replacing Obamacare. More executive orders are expected from the new White House administration in the coming days.

The organisers of the Women’s March on Washington say they hope Saturday’s demonstration will be the biggest political march in DC history — creating the foundation for a far-reaching networks of activists that can push back against any actions by Mr Trump and his administration that they say are hurtful to women and minorities.

By 10am in the Capitol, Washington was a sea of pink hats with cat ears — a reference to some of Mr Trump's lewd comments about women that surfaced during the campaign — and the headpiece that has become a de facto symbol for the rallies.

Hillary Clinton endorsed the march on Twitter. “Thanks for standing, speaking & marching for our values @womensmarch. Important as ever. I truly believe we’re always Stronger Together,” she said in a statement.

Among those on the street in Washington were John Kerry, the former Secretary of State, and the actresses Ashley Judd and America Ferrera.

Among those on the street in Washington were leading figures of the women’s rights movement, including Gloria Steinem, as well as John Kerry, the former Secretary of State, and the actresses Ashley Judd and America Ferrera.

“When we elect a possible president, we too often go home,” Ms Steinem told the crowd to cheers. “We’ve elected an impossible president. We’re never going home. We’re staying together and we’re taking over.”😡

“The president is not America...we are America,” the TV actress America Ferrera said in a separate address.

Protesters held placards with slogans such as “Stop the War on Women” and “Hands Off Our Democracy”.

On social media, women shared photos and videos of buses, aeroplanes and trains, all filled with protesters coming down to the march — some from hours away.

Sharon Abee, 60, from South Carolina travelled with friends on a bus overnight. "We feel very strongly that we want this new government to know we care about our rights, the rights of minorities and the rights of people who cannot speak for themselves so we are out here putting a voice to our concerns,” she said.

“The last month or so things have come together more,” she said. “People are speaking with one voice more."“This is an appalling time in America. This man is appalling,” said Judy Thoms, who had travelled to DC from New York with her daughter, a schoolteacher. “But seeing so many people travel to Washington for the rally, gave reason to hope,” she said. “It's like being super heroes in a comic going after the evil force.”

According to the Women’s March on Washington organisers, 673 women's marches are happening across the world. Canada and Mexico have the most planned marches on Saturday after the US, with 29 and 20 demonstrations respectively. There will also be two in the Antarctic peninsula. 😡

Organisers from marches cite worldwide fears of an attack on civil liberties and human rights arising from the election of Mr Trump. Yet the scale of the demonstrations have given some hope for the rise of a more civically active US left.

"We are apprehensive and fearful about what negative change might happen as a result of this administration,” said Liz Macdonald, 51, copy writer from Connecticut who travelled with her daughters Grace and Kate. “This feels like a positive statement about ourselves and what we believe."

Did right wingers react that way when Obama was elected, hopefully normal people are watching and seeing what a radical pack of scum the left really are.