Thousands rally for Women’s March amid calls to defeat Donald Trump

Organisers say more than 116,000 participants took part across the US

Thousands of women rallied in Washington DC as they urged voters to defeat Donald Trump and his Republican backers on election day. (Photo by Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images)

Thousands of women rallied in Washington DC as they urged voters to defeat Donald Trump and his Republican backers on election day.

More than three years after millions protested the president’s January 2017 inauguration, the latest Women’s March in the capital was masked and socially distanced, according to reports.

Organisers say they expected more than 116,000 women to march on Saturday or take part in more than 429 virtual or in person events in all 50 states.

Authorities say the main march in Washington was permitted for 10,000 people.

"His presidency began with women marching and now it's going to end with woman voting. Period," said Rachel O'Leary Carmona, executive director of the Women's March.

Rallies were held across the country from New York to San Francisco and also paid tribute to the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who the president is hurriedly trying to replace with Amy Coney Barrett before the election.

And a march was even held outside the dormitory where Justice Ginsburg stayed as an undergraduate student at Cornell University in upstate New York.

Sonja Spoo, director of reproductive rights campaigns at Ultraviolet, said Mr Trump would not be allowed to try and stay in office if he loses the White House.

"When we vote him out, come 3 November, there is no choice," said Ms Spoo.

"Donald Trump will not get to choose whether he stays in power."

"That is not his power, that is our power. We are the hell and high water.”

The march in Washington was due to culminate at the National Mall where organisers planned to hold a text banking telethon to send messages to 5 million people encouraging them to vote.

With the Associated Press