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Protesters Gather for Anti-Trump People’s March

Protesters gather at the Lincoln Memorial to listen to speakers and explore the People’s Fair. (Photo: Kayla Smernoff/HUNewsService.com)

By Kayla Smernoff

Howard University News Service 

The self-described joyfully resistant People’s March led thousands of protesters from downtown D.C. to the Lincoln Memorial on Saturday. 

The progressive focused protest was in opposition to the inauguration of Donald Trump, the 45th and soon-to-be 47th president of the United States, who will hold his inauguration on Monday, Jan. 20. 

The People’s March originated as the Women’s March, a protest that arose after Donald Trump’s initial presidency. The march centered on issues such as climate, immigration and anti-militarism as well as gender justice, LGBTQIA issues and anti-racism. 

The sea of pink hats that symbolized resistance to Donald Trump’s sexist comments in 2017 appeared again during the 2025 People’s March. Like the name of the march, protesters’ attire expanded to be more inclusive; protesters wore keffiyehs, a Palestinian scarf, and the slogans from their causes on t-shirts, stickers or umbrellas.

Sherrion Lewis-Scott and her twin sister, Barbara Cooper, attended the 2017 Women’s March and returned for the People’s March, because of the gravity changes that they said are coming with the 2024 presidential election.

“There is more urgency right now,” Cooper said. “Nobody is under any disillusionment.” 

In addition to the proposals of the upcoming administration, the sisters shared that they marched for their families, to create a safer world for their children and grandchildren. 

“I have two granddaughters … and it is unfortunate that they might not be able to enjoy some of the freedoms that I had as a female growing up,” Lewis-Scott said. “It could be a life and death situation.”

Deborah Scher and her daughter hold protest signs. (Photo: Savannah Blackwell/HUNewsService.com)

Deborah Scher, a Virginia resident who traveled to D.C. to march with and for her daughter, cited her concern for issues such as abortion rights and gun control as an impetus to march.

“My daughter wanted to come and I wanted to support her in that, because so many of the issues are important and critical for her generation,” Scher said.

The People’s March’s more inclusive rebranding did not dissuade participants from bringing focus to women’s rights and and women’s health issues. For some protesters, feminism and reproductive freedom inspired their participation.

“I don’t think people in Congress should tell women what to do with their bodies,” said Rashida Taper, a volunteer and vendor with the People’s March. “That really hit close to home for me.”

The People’s Fair, hosted at the Lincoln Memorial, had People’s March partners share their missions and sell merchandise. Partners and organizers spoke to attendees of the march about women’s rights, climate action and D.C. politics from a platform on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial.

The 2017 Women’s March took place after Donald Trump’s inauguration. The 2025 People’s March took place two days prior, emphasizing the precautionary and preemptive strategies many progressive activists are taking nationally.

Rachel O’Leary Carmona, executive director of the Women’s March, said her focus is on encouraging protesters to continue their fight. 

“Fascism feeds on and requires despair. And so we fight,” O’Leary Carmona said on Instagram.

Darius Burns, a three-time People’s March volunteer, emphasized looking to the future and how marchers can make an impact in addition to showing up to the Lincoln Memorial. 

“We can’t rely on just one person; we have to rely on everyone and everybody’s help,” Burns said. “This is the land of the free. This ain’t the land of the dictatorship.” 

For many, the People’s March felt like a success, despite the presidential changes that inspired many to get involved. 

“It felt like a ‘we got the power’ type of feeling, like we are going to make a change regardless of who is in that office,” Taper said.

Kayla Smernoff is a reporter for HUNewsService.com.