Hundreds of Thousands Protest in NYC Women’s March
Hundreds of thousands of people took to the streets of New York City in support of women and protested President Donald Trump who they say poses a threat to the world during the 2017 Women’s March on Sat., Jan. 21.
Participants marched from One Day Hammarskjold Plaza to Trump Tower, where they shouted “shame, shame, shame!,” in reference to the scene in Game of Thrones where Queen Cersei Lannister was stripped naked and forced to walk in the streets of King’s Landing in order to atone for her crimes.
Protestors said that Trump’s past statements about his sexual advances on women, erratic behavior, rhetoric against immigrants, and his energy policies endanger civil rights and make him unfit to be president.
“Even though I agree that the march was a little bit more than Trump, the reason why he became the antagonist of the march is literally because what he relays and pushes for is totally against [everyone’s beliefs that participated in the march.],” said Pace senior Maricielo Gomez, who protested.
Protesters also held signs with messages that included; “Not My President,” “Build Bridges Not Walls,” “Black Lives Matter,” “I’m With Her” with multiple arrows pointing to a woman, “We The People,” and “Damn Donald Back At It Again With The White Supremacy.”
Some demonstrators also wore pink “p—- hats” designed like vaginas, in reference to a conversation between Trump and NBC’s Today Co-Host Billy Bush had where Trump suggested he grabs females “by the p—-” without consent.
African-American protester Preston Charles felt as though Trump is a racist, a sexist, and a fascist who holds beliefs that don’t match with the views that the American people should have.
“I really hope that he doesn’t build a wall on our southern border, I hope we don’t set up detention centers for Muslims,” Charles said.
Charles also fears that Trump will repeal the Affordable Care Act, the currently the only way he can afford health insurance.
“The Affordable Care Act has allowed me to not worry about healthcare decisions. If I get sick, I can go to the doctor. I don’t have to worry about paying some outrageous bill because I need Penicillin or something,” Charles said. “I do have co-pays and I do have a premium, I won’t say it’s the greatest option, but it’s far better than no option.”
Protestors also expressed concerns over Trump’s appointments for his administration, feeling like they were they were going to damage the section of government they are in charge off and use it for their own self-interests.
“Look at who he has decided to nominate for these cabinet positions. Almost every single one of them wants to destroy that department and privatize everything,” protestor Raadye Sundel said.
Charles thinks that despite the size of the march, Trump’s views will not change. However, he is hopeful the rest of the world will take note of the protests.
“I don’t know if anything in the world can make Trump change his positions, he seems very set in his views, but what I do think is that protests and coming out as a collective community shows the rest of the world that we are not behind Trump. We do not believe what he says is true,” Charles said
Gomez feels as though the Women’s March would have still happened if Hillary Clinton was elected president, and that she would have participated in it.
While Clinton did not participate in the march she tweeted her support stating: “Thanks for standing, speaking & marching for our values @womensmarch. Important as ever. I truly believe we’re always Stronger Together.”
“We all know who Hillary Clinton is. She’s the same politician who said at the United Nations ‘women rights are human rights and human rights are women rights,’” Gomez said.
The total number of protesters was estimated to be around 250,000, according to NYC officials.
This was just one of the Women’s Marches that occurred throughout the world. Approximately 4,600,000 million protested worldwide, making it the largest protest in history, according to The Atlantic.
“I know that ten years down the road people will be discussing this kind of march and just how important it was, that it happened on all the continents in the world and millions of people band together for the largest march in history,” Gomez said
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