LOS ANGELES, Jan. 20 (Xinhua) -- Hundreds of thousands of people marched and rallied here Saturday, crying against sexual harassment and gender inequality.
To mark the one-year anniversary of the first Women's March in the wake of U.S. President Donald Trump's inauguration, many of the demonstrators wore pink hats and flocked to downtown Los Angeles. A crowd of thousands had already gathered in front of the city hall in the morning.
Protesters held signs that read "Women hold up half the sky," "Defend Women's rights," "The future is female," and "A new day is on the horizon," and so on.
According to the organizer's website, the Women's March is committed to "dismantling systems of oppression" through nonviolent resistance and "building inclusive structures" guided by "self-determination, dignity and respect."
"It's important to teach my daughters and young women in general that they need to fight for their rights," said Heather Allison, a mother who came to the event with two daughters.
"Women have rights to be heard and silence is broken, (and) it's OK to speak up," Allison told Xinhua, noting that women need to take advantage of rights to vote to show their power.
One of the little girls of Allison's held up a sign saying: "When I grow up, I want to be an actress and have equal pay."
Some Hollywood stars also showed up for the event, including Natalie Portman, Eva Longoria, Olivia Munn, Scarlett Johansson, and Viola Davis, among others.
"This march and this movement is far more ambitious in scope and scale and it extends beyond one political actor or even one political party," Longoria, who is best known for her role as Gabrielle Solis on the American Broadcasting Company (ABC) television series "Desperate Housewives," said at the rally.
"What we're calling for is sustainable and systematic change to the experience of women and girls in America," she added.
Eric Garcetti, mayor of Los Angeles, wrote on his official Twitter account: "Today, we bore witness to the testimonials of incredible women at the #WomensMarch2018. Women like @ViolaDavis - who stood up, spoke out, and shared their truth."
"600,000 strong," the mayor tweeted after the event.
The march organizers had predicted that 200,000 people would turn out. But according to the Los Angeles Sheriff's Department, there were around 300,000 participants, making it one of the biggest events across the United States this weekend.
