Thousands of people have rallied against Trump in Washington ahead of his inauguration

Thousands of mostly female protesters took to the streets of Washington DC on Saturday to rally against President-elect Donald Trump, two days before he takes office.

The People’s March – previously known as the Women’s March – has been held every year since 2017.

A coalition of groups organized the movement with the stated goal of combating “Trumpism,” according to its website. Smaller anti-Trump protests were held in New York and across the country in Seattle.

The rallies coincide with Trump’s arrival in the nation’s capital for a series of weekend events leading up to his inauguration on Monday.

On Saturday, the People’s March in Washington DC gathered smaller numbers than the previous ones.

The organizers expected 50,000 people. About 5,000 showed up.

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

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

Organizers said they aim to challenge Trump, “using past successes and effective strategies against autocrats.”

A small group of Trump supporters were at the Washington Monument on Saturday. Noticing the men in red Make America Great Again hats, a leader of the People’s March approached with a megaphone chanting: “Not Trump, not the KKK.”

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

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

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

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

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

The movement spread beyond the nation’s capital as millions of women across the US carried signs against the Republican president and wore knitted “pink hats” – a reference to a leaked tape in which Trump bragged about grabbing women’s genitals.

The Women’s March remained a key part of the so-called resistance against Trump’s agenda in the following years.

But none of the subsequent marches have been of the same scale.

Trump, meanwhile, was due to arrive in Washington DC later on Saturday to kick off his inauguration festivities with a private event that will include fireworks at his golf club in suburban Virginia.

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

One protester, Brooke, said she wanted to stand up for abortion access.

“I’m not happy with the way our country voted,” he said. “I’m really sad that our people have bowed down to a president who has already failed us once and we haven’t nominated a female candidate.”

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

“Honestly, I’m mad, I’m sad, I’m overwhelmed,” she said.

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

Susie recalled the crowd in 2017. He said he expected people to take to the streets against Trump’s policies.

“The stakes are higher this time,” he said. “Trump has become emboldened. He has bent the billionaire class and the tech class.”

Anne also said she recognized that the protesters are “out of step” with much of America. Trump won seven swing states and the popular vote last November.

But he added: “We’re still here, and we’re going to deal with it.”

Holly Honderich and Alex Lederman contributed to this report