1,000 gather in Brussels to show unity against Trump presidency

The event on Muntplein was one of many happening all over the world on Friday and Saturday. The original Women’s March on Washington in protest at the incoming Trump presidency rippled out into sister marches around the world, on all seven continents and in more than 60 countries.

“There’s a whole group of women who have been organising this march since December,” said Joanna Maycock of the European Women’s Lobby. “We’ve just come together because we want to show that we are united. We’re united in love and we’re united in anger.”

The event in Brussels grew to be much larger than the organisers had been expecting. “When we started this we thought we would maybe get to 100 people,” said Tanja Gohlert, co-chair of the event. “And it just kept growing and growing and growing over the past few weeks.”

Men and women of all ages and from all over the world attended the event. Among them was Joy Kudia from Chicago, who is studying in Brussels. More than 100,000 people attended the march in her hometown on Saturday, and she says she was glad to find a march she could attend while she was abroad.

“Back home in the States, I was an organiser on Hillary Clinton’s campaign and we put so much work in, but it’s nice to come here and see this group of people fighting for the same things, working for the same things,” she said.

Demonstrators held signs and posters in support of women’s rights and in protest at President Trump. But for many it was about more than protecting the rights of women. Marie, a Franco-American participant, said: “I came here to stand up for women’s rights, for black rights, for immigrant rights, for LGBTQ rights and anyone who is threatened by this.”

The demonstration featured speeches from Maycock and other organisers, singing, the lighting of candles and a moment of silence. The crowd, led by women on stage, chanted in unity: “From Brussels to the world, our voices will be heard.”