PORTSMOUTH — As the crowd swelled into the thousands during the Women’s March, city police closed off Market Square to traffic shortly after 1 p.m. Saturday and added two police details.

“We knew we’d get a lot of people as the numbers kept growing on our Facebook page,” said organizer David Holt of Occupy New Hampshire Seacoast. “The numbers just show how concerned people are.”

The Portsmouth march was one of many in cities across the nation and the world that took place in solidarity with the Women’s March in Washington, D.C. on Saturday.

The march was intended to send newly sworn-in President Donald Trump an emphatic message that his agenda won't go unchallenged over the next four years.

"It's great that this is so accessible," said Cal Truman of Newmarket. "It feels important to be out in the street today.

Many carried clever signs and hundreds wore pink pointy-eared “pussyhats.”

One sign read, "Keep your (expletive) hands off my rights,” and another read, “And you thought I was a nasty woman. Buckle up buttercup.”

There were many signs with messages of love and peace as well.

While the focus was on women’s rights, signs pointed to all human rights including affordable health care, immigration and diversity.

Sara Trifiro of Madbury was with her 8-year-old daughter Lucy and Lucy’s school friend at Oyster River Elementary School, also named Lucy, 7, who was with her mother Allison Milutinovich of Durham.

When asked if the young girls knew what was happening, Milutinovich said she thought they had a “pretty good idea of it.” Her daughter made her own sign that read, “Women and girls should have the same rights as men and boys.”

Portsmouth police master patrol officer Christine Meyer said the police hadn’t planned on shutting down the square.

“But we had to for vehicular safety,” she said. “Everyone acted in a peaceful manner.”

An estimated 3,500 people jammed Market Square with the crowd covering the street down to Middle Street.

Portsmouth police later reported there were no arrests made in connection with the rally.

Although it was supposed to end with a march, there was literally no room to march after words from three speakers. It was difficult for the crowd to hear them because amplification was not allowed.

A representative for U.S. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., read a statement in which the senator said she was with the crowd in spirit along with the marches in Washington, D.C. and across the country.

“With our unity and actions, we are showing we’re still here, and we’re not going backward,” the statement read.

Speaker Carmen Buford-Paige, Ph.D., who was associate dean for student services at the University of New Hampshire, talked about growing up as an African American in the country.

She said Trump has “energized hate groups” and urged people to sign up on the website 100daysofresistence.org, a movement to stop Trump’s agenda during his first 100 days in office.

Brigit Ordway, a board member of the Joan G. Lovering Center, and director of STD/HIV & Outreach Services, said the center has lost funding and needs help.

“We opened our doors in 1980 in Portsmouth,” Ordway said. “We’re still here, but we need your help and support. Call members in Congress and go to your local town meetings.”

Judy Stadtman, campaign coordinator and field director of New Hampshire AFL-CIO, said resistance is not an abstract goal.

“It is a calling, a discipline that demands actions,” she said. “It takes love, stamina and focus and when we come through the process of embracing it, you will be stronger.”

Stadtman said the motto of the resistance movement is “No turning back.”

The crowd then took up these words in chant as the Leftist Marching Band entered Market Square. Organizers decided the crowd was too large to march and asked that they stay and listen to the band.

Most stayed, joining in song and dance as the band put on a rousing performance for more than an hour, while others marched, filling Congress Street from Market Square to Maplewood Avenue.

Mayor Jack Blalock called the march a “warm gathering of peaceful people.”

“It’s terrific to see so many people gathering to express their opinions,” he said.

Kevin Ewing of Portsmouth was at the march with Jane Ballard of Kittery, Maine.

“It’s very cathartic,” Ballard said.

Ewing said he supports the whole cause. “We’re all in this together,” he said.