It is estimated that more than 3.000 women, men and children gathered on Saturday, January 21, at Museumplein in Amsterdam to join a world movement in solidarity.

The Women's March

The Women’s March was organised and held in over 600 cities around the world in aid of equality, diversity, and inclusion, marching for women’s health and reproductive rights, LGBTQIA rights, worker’s rights, civil rights, immigration rights, religious freedom, environmental justice, and to end gender-based violence, amongst other things.

Incident free

What started off as a march meant for Washington turned into a global movement. It was a gathering aimed at connecting people through open-minded dialogue built on respect, peace and compassion, which is exactly what it did. There was not a single reported incident at the march in Amsterdam, nor any other location.

A march, not a protest

Whilst the march coincided with a presidential protest outside of the American embassy, located just around the corner from Museumplein, many have voiced that they were marching FOR equality, rather than against the newly inaugurated president of the United States of America.

In fact, the Women’s March on Washington, 10 actions 100 days, makes no mention of him on their official site.

Ashley Cowles, one of the event organisers, points out, "The media love pinning it on Trump, but the movement is so much more than that. We get that people are angry, but we want to one, use that outrage to create positive change and two, show the world that we stand with marginalised groups."

Photos © Ilaria Mangiardi, 2017

Photo © Kristen Dania, 2017

Photo © Geraldine Leroye, 2017

What the men said

It’s important to note that it was not only women marching. Whilst the majority were definitely women, men and children of all ages, also attended.

Rene Dela Cruz Cuatero from the Philipines explained why he attended, "I march because equality is best achieved together regardless of gender, race, sexuality, religion, or any categorisation we could think of... we'll get there, we just have to keep marching forward, no matter the obstacle."

Other parts of the Netherlands

Amsterdam was not the only city where people gathered to make a statement. Around 1.000 marched in The Hague, all marching in support.

Considering the Netherlands was recently reported as lagging behind in its equal rights policies with a study conducted November, 2016, perhaps this march couldn’t have come at a better time to set the tone right for the year to come.