'This Is Our Moment': Hundreds Of Thousands March Through President Trump's Hometown
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork/AP) -- Thousands of protesters marched to President Donald Trump's home in Manhattan on Saturday, his first full day in office, saying the new president may be from New York, but he doesn't represent the city.
"New York is a community in itself and people care about each other and it's diverse," said Ashia Badi, 44, who brought her two daughters to the march. "He doesn't feel like he has those New York values I see."
PHOTOS: Women's Marches Around The World
The Women's March on New York City was one of more than 600 sister marches held across 50 states and 32 countries.
According to the mayor's office, approximately 400,000 people attended the event.
Organizers for Saturday's march stressed they wanted a greater voice for women in political life. Judith Klinger told WCBS 880's Peter Haskell it comes down to equality.
"I don't want her to have to think about women's rights," she said of her daughter. "It should be God given. She should assume it. Let her be entitled to it."
Trump was born and raised in New York City, but the majority of the city and state voted for Hillary Clinton. On Saturday, people donned pink knit hats and held signs that read "Women's rights are human rights," and "Putin's puppet."
Women, men, children and grandparents, many wearing pink, were eager to stand up and stand out to peacefully gain support for issues close to their hearts, CBS2's Dave Carlin reported.
"I mean look at this, listen to this. This is our moment, this is our moment!" Courtney Williams, of Astoria, Queens, said.
Doreen Black, of Midtown, told Carlin she's been to a lot of marches in her life. She said it wasn't about protesting a president as much as fostering a sisterhood.
"We need to get rid of this nastiness that is prevalent now," she said.
"We should all band together and demand our rights," Barbara Golden, of Lower Manhattan, said.
"We're very diverse, and that's what makes us great," Flatiron resident Rebecca Saffer said.
Patricia Palermo, one of six women wearing surgical masks that said "Save the ACA" (Affordable Care Act), said she would fight Trump's effort to eviscerate the law.
"His words and actions contradict each other," she said. "We (as New Yorkers) know him that's why most New Yorkers are against him."
Zakiyyah Woods, a hospital senior clerk from Brooklyn, said it was important to host a local march to show that New Yorkers don't agree with Trump's divisive rhetoric on Muslims, women and Latinos.
"We're a melting pot. You hear languages from all over the world here," Woods said. "No matter who you are and where you come from, New York is a safe haven. They come here to feel more accepted and safer."
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio sent a tweet Saturday evening, showing his support for the event.
Celebrities Helen Mirren, Whoopi Goldberg, Cynthia Nixon, Courteney Cox and Yoko Ono joined other local lawmakers, like Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer and first lady of New York City, Chirlane McCray.
"This is on us. This change is on us," Goldberg told the cheering crowd. "We're about to go further than you ever thought you could because what's at stake is everything you believe in. We're going to show America what we can do in New York."
Nixon said she was there "to tell Washington they need to think twice about messing with women and think twice about messing with New Yorkers. We will not just roll over and play dead."
"Thanks to every one of you for coming today to show that we will not be silent, we will not be moved!" she added.
Largely, peace and non-violence prevailed, though the day was not without its moments of tension. For some, the main frustrations involved travel.
Drivers in Midtown were stuck in traffic jams, and there was chaos first thing Saturday morning as crowds boarded buses from Manhattan to Washington, D.C. At Port Authority, some riders claimed their buses were overbooked and slow to get going.
The march was expected to end near Trump Tower on Fifth Avenue, where the president conducted nearly all of his post-election business. It's also where first lady Melania Trump and the couple's young son Barron will remain.
(TM and © Copyright 2017 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2017 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
