Las Vegas Sun

March 19, 2024

Thousands gather in downtown Las Vegas in solidarity with women’s marches around the world

Las Vegas Women's March

Yasmina Chavez / Las Vegas Sun

Protesters gathered on Saturday, Jan. 21, for the Women’s March in Las Vegas in downtown Las Vegas in support of the Women’s March on Washington.

The women’s rights movement is far removed from an era when wives needed their husbands’ permission to find a job, or the time when as a young girl trying to join her school’s marching band Helen O’Reilly was told, “No. Girls can’t play drums,” the 65-year old said from Saturday’s local Women’s March in downtown Las Vegas.

“We are concerned for the rights we’ve fought for and won,” O’Reilly said.

The rights O’Reilly was referring to are the ones thousands of local demonstrators demanded President Donald Trump and his incoming administration respect while they’re in power.

Women's March on Washington - Las Vegas 2017

Protesters gathered in downtown Las Vegas on Saturday, Jan. 21, 2017, in support of the Women's March on Washington for the Women's March in Las Vegas. Nevada Congresswomen Dina Titus and Congressman Ruben Kihuen were among some of the speakers to address the crowd as they gathered at Lloyd D. George U.S. Courthouse. Launch slideshow »

And it wasn’t only a women’s rights march: participants insisted on equality for everyone, regardless of gender, sexual orientation, race, creed, age or disabilities.

The downtown event, which according to Metro Police drew in between 4,000 and 6,000 participants, occurred simultaneously with other demonstrations across the U.S., including Washington D.C. where approximately half a million people took to the streets about 24 hours after Trump’s inauguration. Across the country, over a million took to the streets, and similar shows of solidarity took place in cities around the world.

No arrests or disturbances were reported in the valley, where throngs marched west on the Fremont Street and Las Vegas Boulevard roadways, Metro Lt. Charles Jenkins said.

Downtown parking was scarce as men, women, children and leashed dogs streamed to the Llama Lot, 152 N. 9th St. Then at 11 a.m. the tight-knit half a mile walk commenced toward the George Federal Building on the boulevard.

“Stronger together, we won’t fall: justice peace and equality for all,” they chanted.

A woman gripped a yellow sign, which was a play on the "Don't tread on me" Gadsden Flag: an illustration of a women's reproductive system replaced the snake seen in the original flag.

A woman paused to talk to a young girl standing on the sidewalk and embraced her. "This (march) is for you, little girl."

The little girl wasn't the only child attendee. Walking with her son, who was holding a plastic American flag, a woman told a group walking next to them: "He's a gentleman. He's not afraid of us, ladies."

“This is what I believe in and this is who I am,” said Constance Belmore, 61, said to a "woo" from her daughter and her friend. Belmore wore a yellow sash referencing a 1978 D.C. march she said she was a part of. "Women have a firm place in our society. They bring justice and peace to the world and we are here to say, 'women are powerful.'”

The march was "a great way to spend a Saturday, a great way to spend every day there is a lack of equality between people; I think a protest like this should go on," said Cheetah Platt,32, who on Saturday accompanied his wife, Rhiann, on his first march.

He held a double-sided sign that read "Strong men respect women" and "Women's rights are human rights." "Both those things are incredibly important to remember moving forward...," Platt said.

Rhiann Platt said that she respects the democratic process, but that Trump's election has been "muddled."

“That’s when we have to stand up and say, 'he’s not for the majority of us,' and we want him to know that. And we want him to know that he has to work for us, because he’s our employee.”

Esther Warnke, 42, also marched for the first time on Saturday. She was accompanied by her knitting group. The women wore Warnke-knitted pink, pointy-eared "pussyhats," which have become symbolic with the national movement.

At the federal building, the participants heard speeches from several elected officials, such as Rep. Ruben Kihuen, Congresswoman Dina Titus and Nev. Sen. Yvanna Cancela, that elicited loud roars. At the tail end of the two-hour event, Alyson Raedea climb up the courthouse stairs, which participants had been barred from stepping on, to hug two Metro officers.

"We can work together," she said of Americans.

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