People's March highlights: Protest kicks off in Washington DC, chanting 'Stand up, rise up!’

Crowd started the People's March with a focus on democracy, immigration, anti-militarism and climate change at Farragut Square. 

The protests started with people chanting the slogan, ‘What do we gonna do? Stand up, rise up!’

One of the women gathered in Washington to march against Trump told BBC they have different reasons to brave the cold for the People's March. 

"I'm sad that our country's leaned towards a president that's already failed us once and that we did not nominate a female candidate," Brooke told the British news agency. 

Thousands gathered in Washington DC for the People's March against the inauguration of US President-elect Donald Trump. 

Rick Glatz, from New Hampshire's Manchester, joined the protest for his granddaughter and talked about his reason for attending it. 

“I’m a grandpa. And that’s why I’m marching," he told the Associated Press. 

“The incoming administration is going to do nothing and even make it worse,” he further said. 

As US President-elect Donald Trump is expected to arrive in Washington, he will be attending a reception at his golf course in nearby Sterling, Virginia.

Trump's Vice President JD Vance is expected to appear  at a dinner at the National Gallery of Art on Saturday evening.

Who organised the march?

The march is being organised by a coalition of groups, including Women’s March and Abortion Access Now, organisations promoting reproductive health, rights, and justice led by Reproductive Freedom for All and Unite for Reproductive and Gender Equity, or URGE. 

Key issues to be addressed

Civil rights, racial justice, and reproductive health organisations joined forces to plan the protest, which was triggered by a range of issues, including abortion rights after the overturning of Roe v. Wade; climate change; economic issues; gun violence prevention; and the securing of expanded rights for immigrants, including a path to citizenship for all.

Where is it happening?

People will gather at 10 am at either Farragut Square, McPherson Square, or Franklin Park, with each location focused on specific issues.

The march will end at the Lincoln Memorial by 1 pm, the National Park Service permit said.

What will be happening?

The progressive speakers for reproductive rights and racial justice, including Rachel Carmona, the head of the Women's March, will address the crowd during the march. 

The protesters are planning to march via 17th Street to the Lincoln Memorial at 11 am, where they will be holding a rally, as per the permit. 

The Women’s March is coming back to the national capital just two days before Trump takes office. After being rebranded, the rally is now called the People’s March as now it is targeting multiple agendas, including immigrants, the LGBTQ+ community, and racial and religious minorities. 

Donald Trump, who is set to take over the Oval Office on Monday, will return to Washington on Saturday to kick off days of pageantry to herald his second inauguration as president. 

An Austin based woman Jill Parrish, 55, held a sign saying that women should resist the misogyny.

“I flew in last night. Honestly, I had bought a ticket to come to DC to attend Kamala Harris’s inauguration. And, when that didn’t transpire, I decided to go ahead and I change my ticket to come earlier and, come to support this March instead and to leave before the inauguration, because the last thing I want is to be here.”

As People's March is expected to begin, hundreds of protesters have gathered at Franklin Square to protest on  issues like reproductive and LGBT rights. 

People were seen holding signs like Save America and “Against abortions? Then don’t have one” and “Hate won’t win.”