Pointing at the US White House on Saturday, women and their supporters chanted: “The oppressive state is a rapist. The rapist is you.”
The lyrics are part of a Chilean performance piece that has become an anthem of the feminist movement worldwide.
“Patriarchy is a judge, that judges us for being born, and our punishment is the violence you don’t see,” the group, led by members of Chile’s Las Tesis feminist collective, yelled in unison as protesters came to a halt along a route that nearly circled the White House.
The performance gave a defiant, powerful tone to the fourth annual Women’s March, which saw thousands from across the country and world brave light snow and freezing rain to march in Washington, DC. Thousands of others rallied in cities and countries worldwide.
Protesters held signs that included a variety of demands, from climate action to reproductive rights.
US President Donald Trump and the November presidential election were at the forefront of many of the protesters’ minds on Saturday, with several carrying signs that read, “Trump out now” and “Kick them out when they abuse our trust”. (Aljazeera)