Thousands held an anti-Trump rally in Washington ahead of the inauguration

Thousands of female demonstrators took to the streets of Washington DC on Saturday to protest against President-elect Donald Trump two days before his inauguration.

The People’s March – formerly known as the Women’s March – has been held annually since 2017.

A coalition of parties organized the organization with the stated goal of confronting “Trumpism”, according to its website. Small anti-Trump protests were held in New York City and across the country in Seattle.

The rallies coincided with Trump’s arrival in the nation’s capital for a series of weekend events ahead of his inauguration on Monday.

Saturday’s People’s March on Washington DC drew smaller numbers than its predecessors.

Organizers expected 50,000 people. About 5,000 came.

Protesters gathered at three parks before marching to the Lincoln Memorial for the rally.

The groups behind the march are described on their website as having “cross-cutting identities” and “issue-based interests” with causes as diverse as climate change, immigration and women’s rights.

Organizers say they intend to confront Trump “using past successes and effective strategies against autocrats”.

A small group of Trump supporters were at the Washington Monument on Saturday. Seeing men wearing red Make America Great Again hats, a leader of the People’s March with a megaphone approached and chanted: “No Trump, no KKK.”

One of the men, Timothy Wallis, told The Associated Press that his friends had just bought Trump hats from a street vendor.

Mr Wallis, 58, of Pocatello, Idaho, said the People’s March protesters had “every right” to protest, although he said he was confused.

“It’s sad where we are as a country,” he said.

The first iteration of the People’s March came together after Trump defeated Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton in 2016.

Women called for a protest after the first day of Trump’s inauguration and hundreds of thousands responded.

The movement spread beyond the nation’s capital with millions of women across the US holding signs insulting the Republican president and wearing pink “pussy hats” – a reference to a leaked tape in which Trump bragged about touching women’s private parts.

The Women’s March remained an important part of the so-called resistance to Trump’s agenda in the years that followed.

But no subsequent marches have been on the same scale.

Trump came in Washington DC later on Saturday to kick off his debut festivities with a private ceremony with fireworks at his golf club in Virginia.

The women who gathered in Washington to join the People’s March told the BBC that they had different motivations.

Another protester, Brooke, said she wanted to show her support for abortion access.

“I am not at all happy with the way our country voted,” he said. “I am saddened that our country depends on a president who has failed once and we did not nominate a woman.”

Another woman, Kayla, said it was a mix of emotions that brought her out of the streets of the nation’s capital.

“The truth is, I’m just mad, I’m sad, I’m burdened,” she said.

Susie came from the San Francisco area to consult with her sister, Anne, who lives nearby. Both attended the Women’s March after Trump’s first inauguration and returned with “their hats”.

Susie remembered the crowds in 2017. He said he hoped that people would still take to the streets to oppose Trump’s policies.

“This time the numbers are high,” he said. “Trump has been brave. He has the billionaire class and the tech class bowing down.”

Anne also said she realizes that the protesters are “out of touch” with the American majority. Trump won all seven states and the popular vote last November.

But he added: “We are still here, and we will resist.”

Holly Honderich and Alex Lederman contributed to this report