Millions worldwide including Emma Watson, Madonna and Scarlett Johansson join Women’s Marches in protest against Trump on his first full day in power
HUNDREDS of thousands of people took part in the protest march against Donald Trump in Washington DC - as millions attended rallies across the globe.
An estimated 2.2million people worldwide took to the streets in the first full day of the billionaire businessman's presidency.
Demonstrators descended on the National Mall in the US capital to march in opposition to the new president.
More than 600 "sister marches" were planned across the country in cities including Chicago, New York, Los Angeles and Denver, and abroad in conjunction with the Women's March on Washington.
Transport officials reported that as of 11am local time, the D.C. Metro had 275,000 passengers compared to just 193,000 by the same time yesterday before Trump's inauguration.
Shortly afterwards, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser announced the metro system was at "full capacity" - while Associated Press reported that as the entire planned route filled with hundreds of thousands of protesters, organisers were unable lead a formal march toward the White House.
Elsewhere in the United States, organisers in Chicago were forced to cancel the march and instead hold a rally due to safety fears related to the large crowd.
In London, a similar march attracted celebrities including England rugby star Chris Robshaw and actress Drew Barrymore, while singer Charlotte Church marched in Cardiff.
Celebrities rumoured to attend the London march, which began outside the US embassy and finished at Trafalgar Square, included Sandi Toksvig, Alexa Chung, Pixie Geldof, Bianca Jagger, June Sarpong and Ian McKellen, among others.
Over in Washington DC, Amy Schumer, Emma Watson and Cher were all spotted, as well as actor Jake Gyllenhaal.
Scarlett Johansson, who last month was revealed to be the highest-paid movie star in the world, gave a speech about women's rights, and what she called the threat posed by Trump to Planned Parenthood.
The actress, who earned nearly £1billion last year, said: "President Trump, I did not vote for you. That said, I respect that you are our president elect and I want to support you. But I want you to support me."
Alicia Keys also addressed the crowd, ending her speech with a performance of "Girl On Fire".
Organisers said an estimated 100,000 people descended on central London on Saturday.
Marches also took place in other UK cities including Manchester, Edinburgh, Belfast, Liverpool and Cardiff, with thousands turning out.
Around the world, more than 30 countries took part.
Beginning at the American Embassy in London, the London Women's March made its way around the streets of the capital to a rally in Trafalgar Square.
And I am full of pride and unity with all women today.
Drew Barrymore
The movement stated on its website that the US election "proved a catalyst for a grassroots movement of women to assert the positive values that the politics of fear denies".
Organisers called for people to join them "as part of an international day of action in solidarity" on President Trump's first full day in the Oval Office.
Washington officials allowed 1,200 tour busses to have parking permits — almost three times as many as it granted for the inauguration.
It prompted speculation whether there more people at the protests than were to see Mr Trump make his first speech after being sworn in as President.
But White House spokesperson Sean Spicer denied this, saying the media has engaged in 'false reporting' of visitors at Trump's inauguration.
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Ex-England rugby football captain Chris Robshaw was pictured with his partner Camilla Kerslake outside the American Embassy in London.
Actress Drew Barrymore posted a picture of herself at a march, saying, "I love women. I live for my two daughters.
"And I am full of pride and unity with all women today."
A large number of women were seen wearing hand-knitted pink "pussyhats".
Labour bigwigs MP Harriet Harman and London Mayor Saqiq Khan were also in the London march.
QI host Sandi Toksvig spoke to campaigners in London, while DJ Nick Grimshaw posted pictures on his instagram page of him in the crowd.
Harriet Harman was joined on the march by friend and American-British playwright Bonnie Greer.
Ms Harman said there was a "real sense of menace" and a feeling that rights would regress.
"We can't take for granted the advances we have made," Ms Harman said.
"This is a very important antidote to feeling passively disempowered and a sense that things are going to be pushed back."
Ms Greer warned that Mr Trump's presidency was "not a joke", adding: "This is for real and I think this march demonstrates that London understands that."
A Women's March London spokesman said: "The US election proved a catalyst for a grassroots movement of women to assert the positive values that the politics of fear denies.
"On the first day of Donald Trump’s Presidency, women-led marches, welcoming all participants, will take place across the world, with the largest expected in Washington D.C.
"We, the organisers of the London march, call on people of all genders to march in London as part of an international day of action in solidarity.
"We will march, wherever we march, for the protection of our fundamental rights and for the safeguarding of freedoms threatened by recent political events.
"We unite and stand together for the dignity and equality of all peoples, for the safety and health of our planet and for the strength of our vibrant and diverse communities.
"We will come together in the spirit of democracy, honouring the champions of human rights who have gone before us.
"Please spread the word, so that our numbers are too great to ignore and the message to the world is clear."
Alongside the main event in Washington, there were more than 600 "sister marches" planned around the United States.
Supporters campaigned for racial and gender equality, affordable healthcare, abortion rights and voting rights.
Ugly Betty star America Ferrera, who helped organise the march, told the crowd: "It's been a heartbreaking time to be both a woman and immigrant in this country.
"The platform for hate and division assumed power yesterday.
"But the president is not America. His cabinet is not America. Congress is not America. We are America and we are here to stay."
It follows a protest against Mr Trump at London's US embassy on Friday night where singer Lily Allen joined hundreds protesting as Donald Trump was sworn in as president across the pond.
Huge crowds gathered in Mayfair's Grosvenor Square to voice their opposition to the new president.
Lily Allen later took to Instagram to post a picture of her performance, writing: "I went and sang a song in Grosvenor Square. It was very peaceful."
However the demonstrations did not remain calm across the city.
Many of the women in Washington decided to wear pink knitted hats with cat ears - a reference to comments made by Mr Trump in a 2005 leaked video in which he bragged about grabbing women "by the pussy".
Despite the unrest, Trump was formally sworn in as the 45th US President on Friday - and vowed to give “power to the people”, “put only America first” and “eradicate Islamic terrorism from the face of the earth”.
That night he proudly sang along to Frank Sinatra’s My Way as he danced with his First Lady at the Freedom Inaugural Ball.
The Republican and his wife Melania spent the evening at the Liberty and Freedom Balls at the Washington Convention Center before later arriving at a gala for the armed forces.
