by Mish Instead estimates now top 250,000. Organizers, at request of police, cancelled the scheduled parade, but that did not stop the participants.
We have reached capacity – over 150K! We are going to rally in place. #WomensMarch
— Womens March Chi (@womensmarchchi) January 21, 2017
Please consider Protesters Take Over Downtown Streets Despite Officials Canceling March.
Tens of thousands of people united and protested newly inaugurated President Donald Trump at the Women’s March in Chicago on Saturday.
As crowds swelled Downtown, organizers were forced to cancel the march portion of the event, with organizers announcing the rally would continue.
More scenes from #WomensMarchchicago. @DNAinfoCHI #womensmarchchi pic.twitter.com/Xsa3OKywE7
— Kelly Bauer (@BauerJournalism) January 21, 2017
Women’s March Draws 250,000
The Chicago Tribune reports Thousands March Through Loop as Part of Women’s March After Rally Draws 250,000
Organizers officially canceled the march portion of the Women’s March on Chicago after the number of participants swelled to an estimated 250,000, but that didn’t stop thousands from taking to the streets — peacefully — of the Loop on Saturday afternoon.
Some said they hadn’t realized the march portion of the march and rally had been canceled while others said they simply didn’t care.
The plan was for a 10 a.m. rally at Grant Park followed by an 11:30 a.m. march west to Federal Plaza, but about 11 a.m. organizers canceled the march after a mushrooming crowd packed the event.
“Our march route is flooded. There is no safe way to march. We are just going to sing and dance and make our voices heard here,” rally and march co-chairwoman Ann Scholhmer told the crowd at Jackson and Columbus drives just before 11 a.m.
Initially, organizers estimated the event would draw 22,000 people and later said it would be closer to 50,000 for the Women’s March on Chicago — one of more than 200-plus such across the globe aimed at sending a message to newly minted U.S. President Donald Trump: that women’s rights shouldn’t be ignored.
“This march, this moment, in this city, is the largest march outside of Washington, D.C.,” said organizer Jessica Scheller to raucous cheers from the crowd.
Organizer Liz Radford also told the crowd: “Michigan Avenue is flooded with marchers. Wabash is flooded with marchers. State Street is flooded with marchers. People are still waiting for trains in Oak Park. We called, and you came. We have flooded the march route. We have flooded Chicago.”
Women in Pussyhats Take Over D.C.
In Washington D.C., Women in Pussyhats Take Over.
Hundreds of thousands of people painted the nation’s capital bright pink Saturday for the Women’s March on Washington, pushing for a slew of liberal causes as they joined protesters from around the world on the first full day of President Trump’s term in office.
The planned route sent demonstrators chanting slogans such as “No Trump, no KKK, no more racist USA!” “Girls Rule!” and “Hands too small, he can’t build a wall!” past the National Mall and the Washington Monument, ending within sight of the White House.
“Feet on the ground, not backing down,” shouted Alicia Keys as she led the crowd in a chant.
Many used the march to tout a hodgepodge of causes: “White silence is violence,” “We beat Nazis once and we can do it again,” “People over profit,” “Free Melania.”
Some were marching for environmental issues — “The earth doesn’t have 4 more years,” read another sign.
President Trump got a view of the scene from the window of his limousine, when his motorcade passed protesters on its way back to the White House from the National Cathedral, where he attended a morning prayer service.
But the crowd, many wearing pink cat-eared “pussyhats” — a reference to Trump’s claim in a 2005 video that he grabbed women by the privates — had a mostly festive air at odds with its participants’ inflammatory signage.
About 200,000 people had been expected, but organizers told The Post that over double that number could turn up for the day-long event, which kicked off at 10 a.m.
Women’s Anti-Trump March Clogs Washington Streets
Reuters reports Women’s Anti-Trump March Clogs Washington Streets
Hundreds of thousands of women, many wearing bright pink hats, marched in Washington on Saturday in a mass show of opposition to U.S. President Donald Trump’s agenda the day after the Republican businessman-turned-politician took office.
The Women’s March on Washington was one of a series of street protests throughout the country and the world against the new president’s often angry, populist rhetoric.
Trump has angered many liberal Americans with comments seen as demeaning to women, Mexicans and Muslims, and worried some abroad with his inaugural vow on Friday to put “America First” in his decision making.
Organizers of the protest had told police they expected 200,000 people to attend but the crowd looked bigger than that.
It stressed the city’s Metro subway system, with riders reporting enormous crowds and some end-of-line stations temporarily turning away riders when parking lots filled and platforms became too crowded.
By midday Saturday the protest rally had been peaceful, a sharp contrast to the day before when black-clad anti-establishment activists smashed windows, set vehicles on fire and fought with riot police who responded with stun grenades.
Give Credit to the Organizers and the Weather
As of 2:00PM it’s a balmy 57 degrees in Chicago with light wind and plenty of sunshine. Had it been a more seasonal 15 degrees with the wind howling, the original estimate would have been more likely.
Not only did the protesters show up, but so did tens of thousands of lookie-lous wanting to see what’s going on. Nonetheless, the organizers deserve credit for pulling this off.
Protest Irony
The irony is these protests is startling, yet none of the protesters see it. Hillary Clinton and her war policies have destroyed more families, killed more people, disabled more people than anything Trump has ever done. Bill Clinton’s policies led to imprisonment of tens of thousands of blacks, for long sentences, on dubious drug charges.
Support for Hillary as a women’s advocate is seriously misguided. https://t.co/4cUnCegMiW
— Mike “Mish” Shedlock (@MishGEA) January 21, 2017
Mike “Mish” Shedlock
