Around 50,000 people are expected to attend a Seattle march in solidarity with rallies across the world on Saturday, the day after Donald Trump’s inauguration as president.
Womxn's March on Seattle organizers told KIRO 7 News their estimates are based on its Facebook page and Eventbrite responses. They expect Seattle to host the third-largest march in the country; there will be more than 600 marches internationally.
>> Read real-time updates on the women's march here.
Seattle Department of Transportation issued a traffic advisory for drivers that they should prepare for delays. SDOT estimates as of Tuesday list 30,000 people attending.
The rally will start at Judkins Park at 10 a.m., followed by a 3.6-mile march to the Seattle Center. KIRO 7 News will stream the event here.
SDOT released the following route for the march, see map below:
From 20th Avenue South and South Weller Street, the route heads north on 20th Avenue South, west on South Jackson Street, north on 4th Avenue, west on Denny Way, and north on 2nd Avenue North into Seattle Center.
Seattle Police Department officials told KIRO 7 News that they do not detail their staffing plans for crowd control but are aware of the 30,000 to 50,000 crowd estimates.
Planning for the march nationwide and in Seattle came after Trump’s election win in November. The Women’s March on Washington – anticipated to be the largest march in the country – told The Washington Post the purpose of the rally is to “promote women’s equality and defend other marginalized groups.”
The local group decided to spell “women” with an “x” to promote intersectionality in the movement. Intersectionality acknowledges that different forms of discrimination intersect, the group wrote.
"The Womxn's March on Seattle grew out of feelings of loss, fear and anger, but now seeks
to provide the resources necessary for people to connect with one another, become accomplices, and work towards equity and social justice in this country," an organizer told KIRO 7 News.
The Womxn’s March on Seattle wants to be a silent march, modeled after the successful silent civil rights marches. However, they wrote that the silence is a request, noting that participants are constitutionally allowed to say whatever they like.
Seattle’s iconic Fremont Troll donned a pink hat on Inauguration Day. People in Womxn’s March on Seattle on Saturday plan to wear them too.
The Pussyhat project created a knit pattern for people marching women’s rallies nationwide.
The hats are a symbol of solidarity. The founders told CBS News the project is more than just a tongue-in-cheek reference to the president-elect's infamous "grab them by the p-----" comment.
“It’s about reclaiming that word, it’s not just about trolling him,” said Krista Suh, who started the project.
Suh estimates at least 60,000 hats have been made based on the website traffic