Before the inauguration, a multi-thousand rally against Trump took place in Washington

Thousands of protesters, mostly women, took to the streets of Washington on Saturday to protest President-elect Donald Trump two days before his inauguration.

The People’s March — formerly known as the Women’s March — has been held annually since 2017.

A coalition of groups organized the movement with the stated goal of opposing “Trumpism,” according to its website. Smaller anti-Trump protests were held in New York and across the country in Seattle.

The rallies coincide with Trump’s arrival in the nation’s capital for a series of weekend events ahead of his swearing-in ceremony on Monday.

Saturday’s People’s March on Washington drew fewer people than its predecessors.

The organizers expected 50,000 people. It turned out to be about 5 thousand.

Protesters gathered in three parks before heading to the Lincoln Memorial for a rally.

The groups behind the march are described on their website as having “intersecting identities” and having “diverse issue-based interests” with causes as diverse as climate change, immigration and women’s rights.

Organizers said they were seeking to counter Trump “by building on past successes and effective strategies against autocrats.”

A small group of Trump supporters were at the Washington Monument on Saturday. Noticing people wearing red Make America Great Again hats, one of the leaders of the People’s March approached with a megaphone and chanted, “No to Trump, no to the KKK.”

One of the men, Timothy Wallis, told The Associated Press that his friends had just bought Trump hats from a street vendor.

Wallis, 58, of Pocatello, Idaho, said the People’s Marchers had “every right” to demonstrate, though he said he was confused by the anger.

“It’s sad where we are as a country,” he said.

The first iteration of the People’s March followed Trump’s 2016 victory over Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton.

Women called for a protest the day after Trump’s first inauguration, and hundreds of thousands responded.

The movement has spread beyond the nation’s capital, with millions of women across the US holding placards against the Republican president and wearing pink knitted “caps” – a reference to a leaked tape of Trump bragging about grabbing women’s genitalia.

The Women’s March remained a key part of the so-called resistance to Trump’s agenda in the years that followed.

But none of the subsequent marches were on such a scale.

Trump, meanwhile, was due to arrive in Washington later Saturday to kick off his inauguration festivities with a private fireworks event at his golf club in suburban Virginia.

The women who gathered in Washington to join the People’s March told the BBC they had different motivations.

One protester, Brooke, said she wanted to show her support for abortion access.

“I’m really not satisfied with the way our country voted,” she said. “I am very sad that our country leaned towards a president who has already failed us once, and that we did not nominate a female candidate.”

Another woman, Kayla, said it was a mix of emotions that brought her to the streets of the nation’s capital.

“Honestly, I’m just angry, I’m sad, I’m shocked,” she said.

Susie came from the San Francisco area for the demonstration with her sister Ann, who lives nearby. They both attended the Women’s March after Trump’s first inauguration and came back in their “hoodies.”

Susie reminded us of the crowds in 2017. She said she hopes people will still take to the streets against Trump’s policies.

“The stakes are higher this time,” she said. “Trump cheered up. The billionaire class and the technology class bowed to him.”

Anne also said she recognized that the protesters were “out of touch” with much of America. Last November, Trump won all seven states and the popular vote.

But she added: “We are still here and will resist.”

Holly Honderich and Alex Lederman contributed to this report