Politics & Government
Chicago Women's March: Huge Anticipated Turnout Forces Location Change
Organizers for Saturday's protest are estimating a crowd of more than 50,000 people for the rally and march.
CHICAGO, IL — The Women's March on Chicago has changed where it's being held Saturday in order to accommodate the growing crowds organizers are expecting for the event designed to protest President-elect Donald Trump's inauguration and draw attention to women's issues, the Chicago Tribune reports.
A rally to launch the demonstration will be at Grant Park on Columbus Drive, a block east and slightly north from the previous starting site at Jackson Boulevard and Lake Shore Drive, according to the report. Participants will march up Jackson to Federal Plaza on South Dearborn Street, the report states. The start times for the protest remain the same; the rally is at 10 a.m. Satruday, Jan. 21 (with marchers allowed to arrive at 8:30 a.m., and live music at 9:30 a.m.), and the march begins at 11:30 a.m. Jackson Boulevard will be closed until 2 p.m., and participants can congregate along the route, organizers said.
Originally, the rally was going to be at the park's Petrillo Bandshell, but the potential size of the crowds has been growing, forcing the two venue changes, the Tribune reports. Attendance was expected to be about 22,000 earlier this week. Now that number is closer to around 50,000 to 60,000, the report added.
Find out what's happening in Chicagofor free with the latest updates from Patch.
RELATED: Women's March on Washington: Illinois to Hold 'Sister Marches'
Although the march is free, organizers have set up a page on the ticket site Eventbrite in order to estimate the number of people who plan to attend.
Find out what's happening in Chicagofor free with the latest updates from Patch.
The Women's March on Chicago is one of more than 250 "Sister Marches" around the world that are connected to the Women's March in Washington, D.C., which will also be held the day after Trump's inauguration. More than 200,000 people are expected to march in D.C., and Illinois U.S. Reps. Luis Gutierrez and Jan Schakowsky — both Democrats — plan to participate in that event. Illinois "Sister Marches" include protests in Carbondale and Urbana.
RELATED: Donald Trump's Inauguration: List of Illinois Lawmakers Skipping, Attending the Event
Organizers are encouraging participants to use public transportation, and Metra will be running its normal Saturday schedule, but the transit agency is expanding capacity to handle the potentially larger-than-usual passengers.
WATCH this video from Newsy about what you need to know if you're going to Women's March:
The Women's March on Chicago is one of several events in the city designed to speak out against the incoming chief executive. On Inauguration Day, Movement for the 99% and Chicago Socialist Alternative will hold the "Resist Trump" rally from 3 to 5 p.m. Friday, Jan. 20, at Daley Plaza, 50 W. Washington St., and a demonstration is scheduled to be held outside Trump International Hotel and Tower, 401 N. Wabash Ave.
RELATED: Anti-Donald Trump Rally Planned for Chicago on Inauguration Day
Nationally, a student walkout is being planned, encouraging high school and college students to walk out of classes when Trump is sworn in Friday. At the University of Illinois at Chicago, the walkout will be followed by a rally from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. Friday on the campus quad, 1200 W. Harrison St.
CHECK OUT the following map for the march's route and roads that will be closed because of the event:
Go to the website for Women's March on Chicago for more information.
Image via Women's March on Chicago
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