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WASHINGTON: Thousands of people took to the streets of the United States for women’s marches on Saturday (October 17), many wearing pink protest hats as they issued fervent appeals against President Donald Trump and his conservative Supreme Court pick.
The rallies leading up to the Nov.3 election were inspired by the first Women’s March on Washington, a large anti-Trump rally held the day after his inauguration in 2017.
Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Saturday’s demonstrations were considerably smaller, although protesters were still in cities across the country, according to organizers.
More than 100,000 people participated in about 430 marches in locations from New York to Los Angeles and Chicago to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, organizers said.
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Protesters gather for the Women’s March in New York on October 17, 2020 (Photo: AFP / Kena Betancur)
They urged people concerned about in-person participation to join a “socially distant text banking telethon” aimed at sending 5 million messages encouraging people to vote.
The protesters also paid tribute to the late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, an icon for women and progressives, as they protested Trump’s choice of conservative Justice Amy Coney Barrett to replace her.
Barrett has made no secret of his strong Catholic beliefs, raising concerns that a conservative-dominated Supreme Court could overturn the right to abortion if upheld by the Senate.
Trump and his fellow Republicans are seeking to accelerate their nomination ahead of the election, a process that began this week and has generated strong controversy.
The protest route in Washington began near the White House before heading to the United States Capitol and Supreme Court building, where a smaller “I’m with her” counter-protest was held, on behalf of Barrett.
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Most of the protesters in Washington wore protective masks for the women’s rally against Trump. (Photo: AFP / Daniel Slim)
Most of the protesters in Washington wore masks to stop the spread of COVID-19, some dressed like Ginsburg in black robes with white lace collars, and many wore the pink knit hats made famous by the original march.
Several protesters dressed in red robes and white hats, portraying characters forced to have children in the dystopian novel and television series The Handmaid’s Tale.
The posters and banners underscored the broader anti-Trump message: “Trump / Pence: Out now,” said one, while others simply said, “Get rid of Trump.”
In New York, about 300 people gathered in Washington Square in Manhattan, many of them wearing pink caps and signs supporting Trump’s Democratic opponent, Joe Biden, or honoring Ginsburg. It was one of five separate marches in the city.
“It’s really important to be here and try to encourage people to vote against Trump and his misogynistic policies, especially now, with Covid, when a lot of people are isolated,” said Yvonne Shackleton, a 47-year-old working mother from the zone. Albany, about a three hour drive from New York City.
A similar number of people gathered in Brooklyn, Ginsburg’s hometown, with a sign that read, “Ruth sent us.”
“I’m here because it is very important that people vote and I tell people to vote blue for Biden and (his running mate Kamala) Harris because Trump has been a disaster for our country,” said Wendy Sacks, a 67-year-old woman. years. -old vintage jewelry seller.
Masked protesters marched in Chicago with the same message, beating drums and shouting for Trump’s defeat.
Women’s support for Trump has dropped dramatically, especially among those living in the suburbs. It now trails Biden among likely female voters by 23 points, according to a recent Washington Post / ABC News poll.
