Washington DC

Hundreds of thousands of people marched in the historic Women’s March on Washington on Saturday – with more than 500,000 people, according to initial estimates by organisers – in a stunning show of protest on the first full day of the Trump administration. Tens of thousands more joined as the day wore on, and by mid-afternoon the city’s Metro system had recorded more than 597,000 trips.

A sea of peaceful protesters wore pink “pussy hats” and poured into the streets of downtown DC, almost certainly outnumbering those who attended the inauguration on Friday.

Thousands of people on Pennsylvania Avenue. Photograph: Michael Reynolds/EPA

Celebrity performers and speakers included singers Alicia Keys, Madonna and Janelle Monáe, activists Gloria Steinem and Angela Davis and actors America Ferrera and Ashley Judd.

Los Angeles

Tens of thousands of people take to the streets of downtown Los Angeles. Photograph: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

The Los Angeles police department estimated that 500,000 people took to the streets of LA, although event organizers said the number of protesters was even higher, according to the LA Times. It was reportedly the highest turnout for any rally in the city for at least a decade.

Chicago

Protesters participate in the Women’s March in Chicago. Photograph: John Gress/Getty Images

Chicago saw a huge turnout, with estimates of 250,000 people attending. The actual march itself was cancelled due to the huge crowds, turning the event into a rally that spilled out of Grant Park.

New York

Massive crowds march past Grand Central Station on 42nd Street. Photograph: UPI / Barcroft Images

Around 200,000 New Yorkers rallied in Midtown Manhattan, twice what protest organisers had expected. The marchers, who had to be staggered in waves because of the numbers, headed up Fifth Avenue towards Trump Tower. “What’s at stake is everything you believe in,” actor Whoopi Goldberg told the crowd.

Atlanta

Thousands march through Atlanta. Photograph: John Bazemore/AP

Thousands turned out for a social justice march in Atlanta, Georgia, with civil rights hero and local congressman John Lewis telling the crowd to “never quit”, “never give up” and to get into “good trouble”. “I know something about marching,” he said at the end of his remarks. Lewis, who marched with Martin Luther King Jr, shook outstretched hands as he made his way to the front of the march.

Denver

Activists in Denver look at messages of support. Photograph: Jason Connolly/AFP/Getty Images

An estimated 100,000 people turned up to protest at Denver’s Civic Center, chanting “love not hate makes America great”.

Phoenix

Thousands march in Phoenix. Photograph: Ross D. Franklin/AP

A march that started at the Arizona state capitol and paraded through the streets of Phoenix attracted 20,000, according to an estimate by the Arizona department of public safety. “I am amazed at the turnout, especially in a red state on a rainy day,” an organizer for progressive political organization Stronger Together AZ told local media.

Boston

Demonstrators gather on Boston Common. Photograph: Maddie Meyer/Getty Images

More than 100,000 protesters crowded on to Boston Common, including Senator Elizabeth Warren, one of the fiercest criticisms of Donald Trump. “We can whimper. We can whine. Or we can fight back!” she declared, reported the Boston Globe. “We will not build a stupid wall and we will not tear millions of families apart.”

Oakland

Thousands turn out to the Oakland women’s march. Photograph: Julia Carrie Wong

In Oakland, 60,000 people took to the streets for the local women’s march, with hundreds also rallying in neighboring Berkeley.

Austin

Protesters march down Congress Street in Austin. Photograph: C Sacco/ddp USA/Barcroft Images

In Austin, the capital of Texas and a liberal pocket in a deeply red state, police estimated 50,000 turned out for the local women’s march, 20,000 more than organizers had expected.