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On January 20th, 2017 Donald J. Trump was sworn in as the 45th president of the United States of America. The following day, women across the world stormed into the streets to fight for their rights. These women were not alone. Husbands, children, people of all kinds, flooded the streets in their support.

The protests were not limited to the U.S.. Washington D.C. hosted the main protest, but cities like Chicago, New York and Los Angeles hosted sister protests. Even more protests were held across the Atlantic with Florence, Amsterdam and Berlin in the mix. In D.C. alone roughly half a million protesters marched in support of the Women’s March. So what has pushed women to the streets? How have so many citizens been pushed to this point?

“I felt like we needed to show up in large numbers to demonstrate that we’re not going to accept a rollback of women’s rights.” said Wendy Colombus, a mother of two who marched in New York “I think all of our rights are at stake. It’s because of Trump and the administration as a whole. Particularly concerning to me is the appointing of the next Supreme Court justice, and I think that they need to hear our voices in advance of that.”

Long time Michigan resident Betty Scott, talks about the fear that Trump brings to the American people. “Oh there’s so many things, his relationship with Russia I find very alarming. His women’s rights issues, how he’s trying to take away women’s rights, another big one for me. His immigration policies… I think he’s crazy, I really do. I think he’s insane.”

But what about Trump’s supporters? How have they reacted to the marches? In an interview with Michael Fresa (editor’s note: Michael Fresa is a relative of Kitt Fresa), a former coal business owner and resident of West Virginia he stated “I support the right to march. Being that I am Pro-Life I can’t support their Pro-Choice option. I can’t condone abortion as far as that part goes. However our country was founded on a basis of demonstration, so I think that’s part of our democratic right to protest.”

When later questioned on Trump’s remarks toward women, specifically the tape that was released during the campaign Fresa said,. “Well of course the tape that they played, he did make some pretty vulgar remarks. That was totally uncalled for. But I don’t think, and I don’t care if it was years ago or a year ago, I don’t think the man should be judged on some of those remarks that were made, in its entirety.”

Trump’s most direct response to the protests were in the form of a tweet posted on Jan 22. “Peaceful protests are a hallmark of our democracy. Even if I don’t always agree, I recognize the rights of people to express their views.”

Many people criticize the Trump administration for the lack of their ideas being taken into consideration. In Columbus’s interview she was asked if she thought Trump heard the women at the women’s march and was at all concerned with it, she responded with “No I don’t think Trump heard anything. I think he’s really concerned about his own ego.”