Thousands protest in Washington D.C. against Trump's inauguration

Thousands of people have gathered in Washington, D.C. to protest the inauguration of US President-elect Donald Trump. January 18, 2025 | Photo: Reuters

Thousands of people demonstrated in Washington, D.C., on Saturday, local time, to protest the inauguration of US President-elect Donald Trump. The protesters included activists from groups vocal on issues including women's rights and racial justice. The protesters fear that their constitutional rights may be undermined in a second term by the newly elected Republican president.

Many of the protesters are wearing pink hats, a color that was widely worn by protesters during Trump's first term in 2017.

Yesterday morning, as protesters marched past the White House and the National Mall toward the Lincoln Memorial, it was drizzling.

This year's protest against Trump's inauguration has been named the 'People's March'. The protest against Trump's inauguration in 2017 was named the 'Women's March'. Since then, this protest program has been held every year by various rights groups, according to a BBC report.

Protesters gathered include activists from various rights groups. In Washington, DC, January 18, 2025 | Photo: Reuters

However, the number of protesters this time was smaller than in 2017. This is believed to be due to the division of the women's rights movement in the country after Vice President Kamala Harris lost to Trump. Organizers predicted that about 50,000 people could participate in this year's protest. However, local police estimate that the number of protesters could be as high as 25,000. 

Anti-Trump protesters have planned more than 300 marches across the country around Monday's inauguration, as well as protests at the Capitol in Washington, D.C. Civil rights, environmental rights, and reproductive rights groups are leading the marches.

Trump was first elected US president in 2016. At that time, he defeated Hillary Clinton, who was running for the first time in US history to become a female president. This time, he was elected president again, defeating a female opponent.

On his first day in office, Trump announced that he would take action against the US federal government's immigration laws.

The inauguration of the US president has historically been held outdoors. But this time, due to the forecast of severe cold in Washington, the swearing-in will be held inside the Capitol building. Trump himself announced on Friday that this time the inauguration will be held in the rotunda of the Capitol building.

40 years ago, Ronald Reagan became the last US president to be sworn in inside the Capitol building in 1985. The swearing-in ceremony was moved to the Capitol Rotunda due to the bitter cold.