'I was blown away': Images and tweets from the Hamilton Women's March
Samantha Craggs | CBC News | Posted: January 22, 2017 5:16 PM | Last Updated: January 22, 2017
Organizers say the Saturday event won't be the last of the Hamilton action
An organizer of the Hamilton version of the Women's March on Washington D.C. says Saturday's showing at city hall isn't the last people will see of the movement here.
Anna Davey, co-organizer of the event that drew at least 1,000 people, said she and others are planning more efforts to capitalize on the momentum of the weekend.
"We're not going anywhere," said Davey, who was "blown away" by the turnout. "There will be further events and actions."
An estimated 500,000 people jammed the streets of Washington D.C. Saturday to draw attention to what they fear the Donald Trump administration will mean for women's, human and civil rights. Similar marches happened worldwide.
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The new president, who was sworn in on Friday, has made comments about grabbing women's genitals. He also tweeted that former Miss Universe Alicia Machado had a sex tape when she didn't support his candidacy. His party also appears poised, for example, to de-fund Planned Parenthood, an organization providing reproductive health services.
That may have ignited the movement, Davey said. But these concerns aren't new, particularly for women from minority communities.
She also insisted the event wasn't partisan.
"The purpose was to give all defenders and supporters of human rights a chance to gather and show solidarity with marchers across the world."
Speakers included representatives from Environment Hamilton, the Hamilton and District Labour Council, the Social Planning and Research Council, the Sexual Assault Centre of Hamilton, YWCA Hamilton, the McMaster Womanists and Democrats Abroad Canada, as well as Indigenous women and local diversity advocates. Musician Rita Chiarelli also performed.