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Friday March 29, 2024

Millions protest against Trump around the world

By Waseem Abbasi
January 22, 2017

Sea of women donning pink hats swarms Washington; new president visits CIA headquarters to repair relations after months of tension;

Senate confirms two cabinet picks

WASHINGTON: A day after Donald Trump’s inauguration as 45th US President, hundreds of thousands of women massed in the nation's capital and cities around the globe on Saturday in full support of Muslims and other minorities facing a potential hostile action from the new administration.

Large crowds of protesters gathered for “Women’s March on Washington” early Saturday to protest Trump’s agenda and support reproductive, immigration and civil rights.

Washington city officials estimated around 500,000 participants early morning — a number that the organisers were hoping to grow to a million late in the day as crowds began swelling and subways into the city became clogged with participants.

Almost every speaker expressed support for Muslim Americans who were targeted during Trump’s presidential campaign.

“This moment will not let you mess with the Muslims. It will not let you mess with dreamers and blacks,” said famous media personality and activist of “Love Army” Van Jones while addressing a huge crowd near the National Mall.

“We have to stand up with Muslims, dreamers and others,” he added to huge applause from the crowd.

“We reject demonization of our Muslim brothers and sisters,” said another speaker.

The Washington subway system was jammed with women wearing pink-themed clothing.

“I have never seen such crowd in my life,” Serap Rada, a participant, told The News. 

“When Muslims are harassed by the FBI and black gunned down by police officers, when undocumented individuals are targeted, my heart hurts. But this is our America which includes all of us in beautiful diversity,” said Saeeda Najib, a Hijab-clad Muslim woman attending the protest.

Actress and activist America Ferrera called for unity against hate.

“It’s been a heartrending time to be both a woman and an immigrant in this country. Our dignity, our character, our rights have all been under attack and a platform of hate and division assumed power yesterday but the president is not America. ... We are America and we are here to stay,” she said.

Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton did not attend the event but tweeted in support of women march.

“Thanks for standing, speaking & marching for our values @womensmarch. Important as ever. I truly believe we're always Stronger Together,” she said.

Feminist icon Gloria Steinem, gesturing over the crowd, said the gathering demonstrated "the upside of the downside."

"This is an outpouring of energy and true democracy like I have never seen in my very long life," she said.

The protest was largely peaceful until the filing of this report. The city authorities had taken elaborate security arrangement for the event.

Agencies add: The unifying factor among those turning out appeared to be a loathing for the new president and dismay that so much of the country voted for him.

Friday's unrest during the inauguration led police to use pepper spray and stun grenades to prevent the chaos from spilling into Trump's formal procession and the evening balls. 

About a mile from the National Mall, police gave chase to a group of about 100 protesters who smashed the windows of downtown businesses, including a Starbucks, a Bank of America and a McDonald's, as they denounced capitalism and Trump.

The women brandished signs with messages such as "Women won't back down" and "Less fear more love" and decried Trump's stand on such issues as abortion, health care, diversity and climate change.

It wasn't just a Washington phenomenon and it wasn't just women: More than 600 "sister marches" were planned across the country and around the world, and plenty of men were part of the tableau, too. 

Organizers estimated three million would march worldwide.

In Paris, thousands marched in the Eiffel Tower neighborhood in a joyful atmosphere, singing and carrying posters reading: "We have our eyes on you Mr. Trump" and "With our sisters in Washington."

At a rally in Concord, New Hampshire, author Jodi Picoult said: "We in New Hampshire are not in the habit of going in reverse. We have the backs of those who are less fortunate — who may be struggling for health care, for environmental rights, for racial equality, for a fair wage, for justice."

Hillary Clinton, who lost to Trump, took to Twitter to thank the participants for "standing, speaking and marching for our values."

In Prague, hundreds gathered in Wenceslas Square in freezing weather, waving portraits of Trump and Russia's Vladimir Putin and holding banners that read "This is just the beginning," ''Kindness" and "Love."

"We are worried about the way some politicians talk, especially during the American elections," said organizer Johanna Nejedlova.

In Copenhagen, Denmark, march organizer Lesley-Ann Brown said: "Nationalist, racist and misogynistic trends are growing worldwide and threaten the most marginalized groups in our societies including women, people of color, immigrants, Muslims, the LGBT community and people with disabilities."

In Sydney, thousands of Australians marched in solidarity in Hyde Park. One organizer said hatred, bigotry and racism are not only America's problems.

The idea for the women's march took off after a number of women posted on social media in the hours after Trump's election about the need to mobilize. 

Hundreds of groups quickly joined the cause, pushing a wide range of causes, including abortion rights, gun control, climate change and immigrant rights.

Meanwhile, in an effort to repair relations after months of tension, President Donald Trump visited the CIA headquarters on his first full day in office, White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer said.

Spicer confirmed the visit in a Twitter post Saturday.

Trump’s relationship with the intelligence community is strained after he publicly criticised its leaders for announcing that the US had determined the Russian government was responsible for hacking Democratic Party officials’ e-mail accounts during the presidential campaign.

Meanwhile, the Senate confirmed the first of President Trump’s picks for two major national security posts, but the rest may have to wait days or weeks before they can officially join the new administration.

Retired Gen. James Mattis, Trump’s pick to head the Department of Defense, won confirmation on a 98-1 vote.

Retired Gen. John F. Kelly, his choice to lead the Department of Homeland Security, was subsequently confirmed 88-11.

Both former Marine Corps generals were well known to senators and earned bipartisan support as their nominations headed to the Senate floor. Mattis was previously in charge of US Central Command, with responsibility for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, while Kelly led the US Southern Command.