Hundreds of Austin protesters jeer Trump, cheer women’s rights

Jan. 21--Hundreds of protesters swarmed downtown Austin on Saturday to call for President Donald Trump's impeachment, stand up for women's rights -- including access to abortion -- and encourage voter participation at the second annual Women's March.

The march in Austin was one of numerous such events throughout the country, including in 10 other Texas cities.

Organizers and Austin police estimated that 2,000 people attended. About a dozen pro-Trump counterprotesters were also present.

At last year's event, held a day after Trump was inaugurated, police estimated that up to 50,000 people attended in Austin, joining with sister demonstrations around the country to make up one of the largest protests in U.S. history.

Organizers said they hoped to build on the energy sparked by last year's event and put out a call to action for people to vote and women to run for office, as primary and mid-term elections loom.

RELATED: A year later, Austin women's march organizers focus on winning office

"This year, it's more important than ever to bring back the Women's March because of who we have in office," organizer Andrea Hughes said. She said an annual event is needed "so that people have that outlet and they have that moment to come together, connect and find strength in each other's stories."

Saturday's event was three demonstrations rolled into one, beginning with a rally calling for Trump's impeachment at City Hall, followed by a Women's March to the Capitol and ending with a Roe v. Wade rally.

Protesters held signs that read, "Resign Trump, then you can golf full time" and "Impeach now" at the first rally, and signs such as "The future is female" appeared at later demonstrations. Many wore the pink, cat-eared hats that became a symbol of the movement last year.

State Rep. Donna Howard, D-Austin, slammed the Legislature for passing "an onslaught of mean-spirited and destructive legislation intent on making it harder and harder for women to access their constitutionally protected right to a safe and legal medical procedure."

Howard pointed to one law requiring women to pay an extra health insurance premium if they want abortion coverage and another that requires burials for fetal remains.

"As a mother and grandmother, I can tell you I won't go back to a time when over a million women resorted to unsafe, illegal abortions with as many as 5,000 women dying every year," Howard said. "As a former registered nurse, I can tell you that none of this anti-abortion legislation makes any sense from a health perspective."

Former state Sen. Wendy Davis was again a fixture at the march and again a hit. Davis recounted the surge of activism that started with last year's march and applauded and encouraged attendees to keep raising their voices.

"Wrap yourself in the pride of what it means to be a doer in the world, not just a complainer," Davis said. "My feminist friends, you are remarkable, and you are going to change the world."

Kendall Elbert, a University of Texas alumna, held a sign that read, "Grab me by my math degree." Elbert said her goal in coming was "supporting women's rights and gender equality."

Waving a small American flag, Trump supporter Gina Nelms came from Houston to counterprotest and called the protest ridiculous.

"The things that you're fighting for have already been fought for," Nelms said. "There's not an opportunity that women don't have that men do."

Jennifer Bateman, a drummer in the ResistDANCE group who attended last year's march, said she was so mad about last year's election, she "wanted to hit something," so she picked up a drum. This year, Bateman decorated her drum to look like a birth control pill container and wrote "Reproductive rights are human rights" across the center.

"Last year was the warrior call," Bateman said. "This time it's putting it to action and showing up."

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