AT LEAST 700 women demonstrated in Barcelona yesterday (Saturday) against the investiture of US president Donald Trump, who officially became the leader of the world's most powerful western nation the day before.
Carrying banners which read, 'Putin puppet: the world is watching'; 'Keep your tiny hands off my rights'; 'A woman's place is in the revolution'; 'We cannot succeed if half of us are held back'; 'Human rights are women's rights'; 'Protect our trans sisters', and 'Nope' accompanied by a photo of Trump with a Hitler moustache – and even one which read 'Tuck Frump' - the march condemned the new Republican president for his policies and values which undermine women, foreigners, transsexuals, climate change, Islam and the gay, lesbian and bisexual community.
They marched in support of feminist and human rights groups across the pond, who also protested throughout the USA – particularly in Washington DC, where numerous arrests were made in the process – and a high number of North American women living in or visiting Barcelona joined in the solidarity march in Spain.
Some US women even travelled from the Balearic Islands and other parts of Catalunya to take part in the march.
Women's and human rights' associations in Catalunya, who fight for cross-community equality at home, said they 'could not remain indifferent' at the sight of a 'new president in charge of the most powerful country in the world preparing to apply his ideology of sexist violence, racism, homophobia and xenophobia which he spouted during his electoral campaign'.
“We cannot sit in silence when [Trump] says he intends to nominate William Pryor as Supreme Court judge - a man who considers abortion to be 'the worst abomination in the history of the law'; whose right-hand man Mike Pence promotes anti-evolution, pro-creation ideas, and whose main advisor Steve Bannon publishes racist and hate-inciting messages on his misogynist website,” said a spokeswoman for the Barcelona demonstrators.
“In the face of these very dangerous signs, we seek to provide solidarity from Europe for the protesters in the USA and other cities worldwide.”
Around a quarter of a million people – male and female – are thought to have joined yesterday's 'March for Women' in Washington DC, advocating equality of rights for ladies which, they believe, are under threat with Trump in power.
The 'March for Women' is expected to be one of the most heavily-frequented ever in the history of the USA, and is supported by celebrity singers and actresses including Scarlett Johansson, Katy Perry, Julianne Moore and América Ferrera.
