THE SIDEWALK/Erin Clewell

The streets of Midtown Manhattan were awash in pink and poster boards on Saturday for the Women’s March on New York City. Organizers expected more than 76,000 people to join in the event, but instead, there were closer to 400,000.

It was planned as a peaceful march for women’s equality and human rights from the United Nations to Trump Tower in solidarity with the Women’s Marches on Washington, across the country and around the world.  And that is exactly how it turned out, with the NYPD reporting no event-related arrests.

Protesters march along 42nd St. in one of many Women’s March rallies Saturday. THE SIDEWALK/Erin Clewell

It began at 10:30AM with a rally outside the UN building at 1 Dag Hammarskjöld Plaza.  The rally featured a diverse group of speakers including those representing pride groups, tenants’ rights, affordable housing, healthcare, social services, and equitable funding for public education and human trafficking survivor empowerment.

“Our mission is to provide a safe and accepting platform for supporters of equality to rally and march in promotion of civil rights for every human regardless of gender, race, sexual orientation, ethnicity, disability, religion or creed,” stated WMNYC Chief Coordinator, Katherine Siemionko.

Due to the large number of participants expected, organizers issued staggered start times to participants to facilitate the march.  Starting at E 47th Street between First and Second Avenues, the procession marched west on 42nd St. and then north on Fifth Avenue toward Trump Tower at 721 Fifth Ave.  However, the march was diverted at 55th Street, two blocks from the heavily barricaded area around Trump Tower.

Despite physical barricades, many in attendance reported feeling empowered by the peaceful protest and had plans to continue to express opposition to injustice or inequality under the new Administration going forward.