The Women’s March on Denver: Shutdowns, timing and more

There were sizable demonstrations Friday against the inauguration of Donald Trump. Saturday’s planned Women’s March on Denver should be even bigger.
4 min. read
Nita Gonzales, principal of Escuela Tlatelolco, speaks at a rally against Donald Trump in reaction to his election just days prior. Nov. 10, 2016. (Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite) rally; protest; trump; politics; copolitics; capitol; denver; denverite; colorado; kevinjbeaty; election;

Nita Gonzales, principal of Escuela Tlatelolco, speaks at a rally against Donald Trump in reaction to his election just days prior. Nov. 10, 2016. (Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite)

HAPPENING NOW: FOLLOW HERE FOR LIVE COVERAGE OF THE WOMEN'S MARCH.

And here are some of the people who wanted to make their voices heard at the march.

Donald Trump's inauguration resulted in a sizable and somewhat spontaneous march through downtown Denver on Friday.

If social media is any indication, Saturday's planned event could be even bigger. About 38,000 people have said they would attend the Women's March on Denver on Saturday, and people have given almost $36,000 to fund the march.

Read on for details on timing, transport, events and more. And, no, you do not have to be a woman to attend. (Seriously, people have asked that.)

Timing:

First up is a march through downtown, starting at Civic Center Park, and then comes an event at Civic Center Park.

People will start gathering for the march at 9 a.m. at Voorhies Memorial on the north side of Civic Center Park, near 15th Street and Colfax. The march starts at 9:30 a.m.

Speakers and performers will be at Civic Center Park from 11:15 a.m. to 3 p.m. A full list is available here.

Route:

The march is about 1.3 miles. It will generally run from Civic Center and up toward Champa Street. The route will be shut down to traffic, which means you probably shouldn't try to drive through that part of town for the morning.

Getting there:

The city is planning extra shuttles down the 16th Street Mall. For those coming from outside the city, light rail to Union Station might be a good bet.

Carpools are being organized here for out-of-towners. If you drive, the organizers suggest paid parking at Colorado Women's College, 1901 E. Asbury Ave., which is accessible to light rail but is a good ways from Civic Center Park.

What to bring:

Don't bring your pets, unless they're service animals.

Consider bringing your own chair, as there will be very limited seating.

Signs are permitted, including signs on sticks and poles. The official march slogan is C.A.R.E.: Choose Action, Reject Excuses. Of course, you can make up whatever slogan you want.

Backpacks are permitted, so consider bringing one with snacks, water and extra layers. The forecast calls for partly sunny conditions and a high of 44 degrees.

Glass bottles are not allowed at Civic Center Park, but otherwise you should be fine bringing beverages.

Services and amenities:

The organizers say they have ensured Civic Center Park will be accessible to everyone, and there will be a shorter alternate route of 0.75 miles. There also will be sign language interpretation.

People bringing large groups are asked to email [email protected].

You can still volunteer, if you're interested.

Reasoning:

The event's organizers say they are "marching in solidarity for human rights ... sponsored by women, for everyone!" Rather than a "protest" against Trump, they say it's "communicating."

The organizers' mission statement includes a focus on the idea that women must "maintain the freedom and lawful protection to choose what is best for them as it concerns their biological and reproductive health."

President Donald Trump has previously suggested that women be penalized for having abortions (he reversed course on that one), while Republican lawmakers want to cut funding to Planned Parenthood.

The organizers also want to protect "diverse and vibrant communities" from "political factions that would seek to inhibit their expression and existence by implementing legal restrictions on personal freedoms."

Finally, they aim for equal treatment and dignity across gender, gender identity, ethnicity, race, disability, sexual orientation, religion, age, income and other characteristics.

303 Magazine has a profile of the event's three organizers.

The goal:

The organizers want to advocate for "the most marginalized members of our society," connect people and organizations, serve as a model of peaceful demonstration and honor earlier advocates and activists.

The event has been permitted by the city.

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