Touted by the mainstream media and its organizers as a spontaneous, grassroots demonstration in support of female rights and other progressive causes, the Women's March on Washington drew over 500,000 to the streets of the US capital on January 21.

It's likely few if any of the assembled knew that over 50 of the groups involved in forming the march have received funding from billionaire activist George Soros.

Preliminary research conducted by the alternative media indicates Soros has provided funding to at least 56 of the march's "partners," including "key partners" such as the National Resource Defense Council, which opposes President Donald Trump's environmental policies, and Planned Parenthood, which opposes Trump's stance on abortion.

@AsraNomani Although I am anti-trump, I respect your POV and your boldness in writing this piece. Always good to look beyond the surface. — Gillian Gamble (@GillGamble) January 21, 2017​

Soros's Open Society Foundations released a statement in response to the allegations, denying it had funded protests in response to the election of Trump.

"There have been many false reports about George Soros funding protests in the wake of the US presidential elections. There is no truth to these reports. We support a wide range of organizations — including those that support women and minorities who have historically been denied equal rights. Many of whom are concerned about what policy changes may lie ahead. We are proud of their work. We of course support the right of all Americans to peaceably assemble and petition their government-a vital, and constitutionally safeguarded, pillar of a functioning democracy," the Open Society statement said.

Evidently, the statement failed to respond to the core allegations of Soros money lining the coffers of scores of March "partners." Whether this omission was accidental or duplicitous is unclear, but the list of figures connected with and involved in Women's March listed on the group's website resembles a "who's who" of Soros funding recipients.

I dont allege"Soros paid protestors"? I say: Soros funds many march "partners." I wud like @womensmarch to reveal its funders @VerocaiCohen — Asra Q. Nomani (@AsraNomani) January 22, 2017​

For instance, activist Harry Belafonte is named as an honorary co-chair. Belafonte sits on the board of the Advancement Project, which received significant funding of four primary recipients of money from electoral reform group the Election Administration Fund. The Fund received at least US$5.1 million from the Open Society Institute. Belafonte also founded the Gathering for Justice group, the recipient of numerous grants from Soros' Open Society Foundations ever since.

Join the amazing women who are working tirelessly to bring comprehensive programing and a day or community and… https://t.co/StU8M2RA4i — Harry Belafonte (@harrybelafonte) January 4, 2017​

Open Society even supported the New York production of a play starring Belafonte, titled The Exonerated, about death row inmates. Soros' foundation financially sponsored a series of panel discussion sessions after the play.

The march is led by four other co-chairs:

Tamika D. Mallory, who has "worked closely with the Obama Administration as an advocate for civil rights issues, equal rights for women, health care, gun violence, and police misconduct."

Carmen Perez, former executive director of Belafonte's (Soros-financed) The Gathering for Justice.

We will always STAND TOGETHER because our liberation is bound in one anothers! #IMarchWithLinda #Sisterhood #WomensMarch pic.twitter.com/BL6ptNY4Qh — Carmen Perez (@msladyjustice1) January 23, 2017​

Linda Sarsour, who serves as "executive director of the Arab American Association of New York, co-founder of Muslims for Ferguson, and member of Justice League NYC."

Bob Bland, chief executive of Manufacture New York (MNY), a social enterprise "rethinking fashion and creating a new, vertically-integrated business model that will transform apparel & textile production for the 21st century."

Elsewhere, in the March's "partner" list, there lurk aggressively pro-Clinton groups such as MoveOn.org.

Other groups include the American Civil Liberties Union, Center for Constitutional Rights, CODEPINK, Green For All, NARAL Pro-Choice, People for the American Way, the Southern Poverty Law Center and 350.org, many of which have received Soros money.

Im sure most @womensmarch marchers were sincere as will be those at pro-life march this week, but $ matters @JoshRosner @SteveFriess — Asra Q. Nomani (@AsraNomani) January 24, 2017​

There is little doubt Soros has been perturbed by Trump's election victory.

In November 2016, it was reported he held a three-day conference in Washington DC to discuss ways to resist economic and political changes arising from Trump's Presidential incumbency.