Women's March: 500,000 people take to the streets of Washington amid global Trump protests - as it happened
Up to 2.5 million people gather at demonstrations all over the world
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More than half a million have gathered in Washington to protest Donald Trump's inauguration, while millions of others - including an estimated 100,000 people marching through London - have taken part in demonstrations around the world. Here are how events unfolded:
- When and where are the women's marches taking place?
- Antarctica among locations of almost 700 marches
- All the US protests taking place in one map
- 'It might not change anything but we cannot stay silent'
- Some of the stars performing at the Washington march
- UK demonstrators call for #bridgesnotwalls
- Violence breaks out after anti-Trump protests
- What Donald Trump has planned for his first day
Please wait a moment for the live blog to load
Women's Marches are a collective of events against the 45th President are taking place at different cities around the world. The London march is expected to be among the biggest outside the US, with thousands of protesters attending from noon.
Thousands more are expected to march on New York and Washington, while protests have also taken place in countries including Australia and New Zealand.
Organisers say they decided to organise the action due to their distress and dismay at the politician's election. Although originating in the US, off-shoots soon emerged around the world as others overseas sought to show solidarity.
Mr Trump was criticised for expressing misogynistic beliefs during the election campaign. Such criticisms intensified as video footage emerged of the politician appearing to gloat about committing sexual assault.
He has also been accused of having "ableist" attitudes after mocking a journalist who has a disability.
Concerns have also been raised that Mr Trump denies climate change and has been critical of LGBT rights.
The march is billed as "woman-led" but welcomes "people of all genders".
In its mission statement, the march organisers say: "We will march, wherever we march, for the protection of our fundamental rights and for the safeguarding of freedoms threatened by recent political events. We unite and stand together for the dignity and equality of all peoples, for the safety and health of our planet and for the strength of our vibrant and diverse communities.
"We will come together in the spirit of democracy, honouring the champions of human rights who have gone before us. Please spread the word, so that our numbers are too great to ignore and the message to the world is clear.The politics of fear and division have no place in 2017."
High profile speakers including Labour MPs Yvette Cooper and Stella Creasy are to address the crowds.
Welcome to The Independent's liveblog of Women's March.
We will be covering developments from over 30 countries around the world where people are marching for women's rights and against the inauguration of Donald Trump as US President.
The global Women's March movement kicked off in Australia and New Zealand this morning and is already spreading around the world, to more than 30 countries according to organisers. The London march will start at 12 from the US embassy, then travelling through the capital to a rally in Trafalgar Square.
Thousands of Australians joined the Women's March in Sydney, rallying in Hyde Park with placards carrying slogans including “Women of the world resist", '"Feminism is my trump card" and "Fight like a girl".
Organiser Mindy Freiband told the crowd “this is the beginning of something, not the end.” She says hatred, bigotry and racism are not only America's problems.
Protester Alyssa Smith, who came with her husband and two-year-old daughter, said she worried about the future after Trump's election and didn't want her daughter growing up in the world “where hatred is commonplace, where people think it's OK to persecute minorities.”
Charlotte Wilde said she shed tears watching Trump get sworn in. The 33-year-old said the businessman's rise left her in a state of “horror” and attending Saturday's rally was a way to feel empowered.
A plane was seen skywriting “TRUMP” over the rally after being commissioned by anonymous supporters of the new President.
The Women's March in Sydney (AP)
Women's March protests took place across Australia and New Zealand earlier today. Here's a selection of pictures:
Here's an updated total of the number of Women's Marches and solidarity "sister marches" around the world today.
Women's Marches: 673
Sister marchers: 2,226,540
The movement's official website lists hundreds of events in American cities, as well as around the world in countries including Chile, the Bahamas, Ghana, Iraq and across Europe.
Women have been taking to the streets across Asia this morning to protest Donald Trump's presidency. Cities include Bangkok, Tokyo and Seoul.
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