They started gathering before dawn, before the mist and fog had unwrapped itself from around the Washington Memorial.

They had arrived in planes and and trains and buses, packed themselves into cars and jumped onto the highway, and when they reached the nation’s capital they smilingly squeezed themselves and their banners into subway carriages, or else made their way on foot.

Organisers of the Women’s March on Washington had hoped that up to 200,000 people would come. In the end, officials estimated that 500,000 or more showed up – far larger than the crowds who attended Donald Trump’s inauguration the day before, and so big that officials were obliged to change the route and rule out a march towards the White House.

So many people turned out that organisers had to change the route of the march (AP)

Over the decades, the National Mall has been home to some extraordinary scenes, from Martin Luther King’s “Dream speech” in 1963, Louis Farrakhan’s Million Man March in 1995, through to the jam-packed celebratory scenes following the swearing-in of Barack Obama in January 2009.

On Saturday, the sight was no less startling, as hundreds of thousands of men and women, many of them wearing pink, pointed-eared “pussyhats” came together in an act of defiance and unity.

The messages they wanted to express and the placards they bore varied. But one common theme of the protest was that Mr Trump’s agenda would not go unchallenged for the next four years, especially when it related to women.

“We march today for the moral core of this nation, against which our new president is waging a war,” said actress America Ferrera.

“Our dignity, our character, our rights have all been under attack, and a platform of hate and division assumed power yesterday. But the president is not America. We are America, and we are here to stay.”

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The march in Washington was one of hundreds taking place across the country and around the world. Demonstrators gathered in every US state, in London, Paris and Sydney. There were even a small group of marchers in Paradise Bay, a corner of Antarctica.

In all, the number of “sister” marches was expected to top 600. Organisers said that up to three million people would be involved globally.

After several hours of speeches, and as movement in the Mall began to get difficult, the marchers set off. People clapped and cheered as they made their way west, heading for Independence Avenue.

Francis Clark, 50, a speech therapist from New York, said she did not feel she had a choice but to attend.

“People’s voices are not rising, those in power are not listening,” she said. “The first thing that Mr Trump did was to end the mortgage premium cuts, making it harder for someone to own a home. It’s betrayal from day one.”

Demonstrators arrive via public transportation to take part in a 'Women's March' to protest the inauguration of Donald Trump (Reuters)

Michelle Fortin had come from British Columbia, Canada. She was anxious about what Mr Trump would do to push back LGBT rights, reproductive rights and fail to fund education.

She said there was nothing about his proposals or personality that she liked. “The only good thing is that he has emboldened us to get busy,” she said.

The marchers were young and old, black and white, people of different religions and sexual orientation. Many mothers had come with their daughters. Frequently, three women together indicated a grandmother-mother–daughter combination.

And their chants varied constantly. “Black Lives Matter”, “We want a leader, not a creepy tweeter”, and the call-and-response of “Tell me what democracy looks like – this is what democracy looks like”.

In pictures: Women of the world march against Trump Show all 32 1 /32 In pictures: Women of the world march against Trump In pictures: Women of the world march against Trump London An image of President Donald Trump is seen on a placard during the Women's March in London, England Getty In pictures: Women of the world march against Trump Sydney A view of the skywriting word reading 'Trump' as thousands rally in support of equal rights in Sydney, New South Wales EPA In pictures: Women of the world march against Trump Rome People shout and hold signs during a rally against US newly sworn-in President Donald Trump in Rome Getty Images In pictures: Women of the world march against Trump London A protester holds a placard during the Women's March in London, England Getty Images In pictures: Women of the world march against Trump Marseille A placard ready 'Pussy grabs back' is attached to the handle bar of a bike during a 'Women's March' organized by Feminist and human rights groups in solidarity with women marching in Washington and around the world for their rights and against the reactionary politics of the newly sworn-in US President Donald Trump, at the Old Port (Vieux Port) of Marseille, southern France Getty Images In pictures: Women of the world march against Trump Bangkok A young Thai girl holds a "women's rights are human rights" sign at Roadhouse BBQ restaurant where many of the Bangkok Womens March participants gathered in Bangkok, Thailand Getty Images In pictures: Women of the world march against Trump Bangkok A Thai woman takes a photo of a "hate is not great" sign at the women's solidarity gathering in Bangkok, Thailand Getty Images In pictures: Women of the world march against Trump Bangkok American expats and travellers gather with the international community in Bangkok at the Roadhouse BBQ restaurant to stand in solidarity in Bangkok, Thailand Getty Images In pictures: Women of the world march against Trump London Protetesters gather outside The US Embassy in Grosvenor Square ahead of the Women's March in London, England Getty Images In pictures: Women of the world march against Trump Marseille Women's March at the Old Port (Vieux Port) of Marseille, southern France Getty Images In pictures: Women of the world march against Trump Marseille Protestors hold placards reading 'My body my choice, my vote my voice' during a 'Women's March' organized by Feminist and human rights groups in solidarity with women marching in Washington and around the world for their rights and against the reactionary politics of the newly sworn-in US President Donald Trump, at the Old Port (Vieux Port) of Marseille, southern France Getty Images In pictures: Women of the world march against Trump Rome A person holds a sign during a rally against US newly sworn-in President Donald Trump in Rome Getty Images In pictures: Women of the world march against Trump Kolkata Activist Sarah Annay Williamson holds a placard and shouts slogan during the Women's March rally in Kolkata, India AP In pictures: Women of the world march against Trump Kolkata Activists participate in the Women's March rally in Kolkata, India AP In pictures: Women of the world march against Trump London A Women's March placards are rested on a bench outside the US Embassy in Grosvenor Square ahead of the Women's March in London, England Getty Images In pictures: Women of the world march against Trump London A women carries her placard ahead of the Women's March in London, England Getty Images In pictures: Women of the world march against Trump Manila Women protesters shout slogans while displaying placards during a rally in solidarity against the inauguration of President Donald Trump, in suburban Quezon city, northeast of Manila, Philippines AP In pictures: Women of the world march against Trump Berlin Protesters attend a 'Berlin Women's March on Washington' demonstration in front of the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin, Germany AP In pictures: Women of the world march against Trump Berlin Protesters attend a 'Berlin Women's March on Washington' demonstration in front of the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin, Germany AP In pictures: Women of the world march against Trump Berlin Protesters attend a 'Berlin Women's March on Washington' demonstration in front of the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin, Germany AP In pictures: Women of the world march against Trump Melbourne Protesters take part in the Melbourne rally to protest against the Trump Inauguration in Melbourne, Australia Getty Images In pictures: Women of the world march against Trump Macau Protesters take part in the Women's March rally in Macau Getty Images In pictures: Women of the world march against Trump Melbourne Womens march on Melbourne protestors marching during a rally where rights groups marched in solidarity with Americans to speak out against misogyny, bigotry and hatred Rex In pictures: Women of the world march against Trump Macau Protesters hold placards as they take part at the Women's March rally in Macau Getty Images In pictures: Women of the world march against Trump Macau Protesters hold placards as they take part at the Women's March rally in Macau, Macau. The Women's March originated in Washington DC but soon spread to be a global march calling on all concerned citizens to stand up for equality, diversity and inclusion and for women's rights to be recognised around the world as human rights Getty Images In pictures: Women of the world march against Trump Manila A mother carries her son as they join a rally in solidarity against the inauguration of President-elect Donald Trump as the 45th President of the United States in suburban Quezon city northeast of Manila, Philippines AP In pictures: Women of the world march against Trump Sydney An infant is held up at a demonstration against new U.S. President Donald Trump in Sydney, Australia Getty Images In pictures: Women of the world march against Trump Sydney A woman attends a demonstration against new U.S. President Donald Trump in Sydney, Australia Getty Images In pictures: Women of the world march against Trump Sydney A woman expresses her Anti-Trump views in Sydney, Australia Getty Images In pictures: Women of the world march against Trump Sydeney Protesters demonstrate against new U.S. President Donald Trump in Sydney, Australia. The marches in Australia were organised to show solidarity with those marching on Washington DC and around the world in defense of women's rights and human rights Getty In pictures: Women of the world march against Trump London Protesters march from The US Embassy in Grosvenor Square towards Trafalgar Square during the Women's March in London, England Getty In pictures: Women of the world march against Trump London Protesters carrying banners take part in the Women's March on London, as they stand in Trafalgar Square, in central London Reuters

One woman who said she had grown up around the struggle for the right to choose, as cemented by the 1973 Roe v Wade Supreme Court ruling, said it was appalling that her daughter’s generation may be having to refight those same battles. She carried a sign that read: “We should not be having to do this.”

Tamara Beus was walking with her husband. She said the issues that trouble her about Mr Trump’s coming presidency, were too many to list. But she said she was particularly worried about press freedom, the likely repeal of the Affordable Care Act, and a “hate and fear” that had been given such a voice.

“I think the damage he could do is great.” said Ms Beus, from San Diego.

Victoria Pauley had arrived that morning on a bus from Augusta, Georgia, a journey that had taken her ten hours. She had got in at 10am, and the bus was leaving again at 7pm.

She said that living in a so-called red state, she – unlike millions of Americans – was not surprised by Mr Trump’s victory.