Crowds Gather for Women's March; Road Closures Planned

For the latest updates on the Women's March on Saturday, go here.

Crowds are expected to rally in front of the U.S. Supreme Court on Saturday as part of a national day of protests. The event is being held by the group that organizes the Women's March each January.

The first Women's March came the day after President Donald Trump was sworn into office in 2017. Millions of peaceful protesters, many wearing the now-famous pink hats, flooded D.C. streets. Since then, the Women's March has become an annual event held each January, but organizers decided to schedule a march for this Saturday in the wake of the death of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg and the contentious battle over filling her seat.

"Our single issue for all of the years has always been building and mobilizing the political power of women," Women's March Executive Director Rachel O'Leary Carmona said. "And it's crystal clear that women are going to decide this election."

The Women's March begins at 11 a.m. Saturday with a rally at Freedom Plaza.

Then, at 1 p.m., protesters will march up Pennsylvania Avenue, around the Capitol and past the Supreme Court. The group will end up at the National Mall, where there will be speeches and a call to action, and where activists will be texting women around the country to urge them to vote.

Although the permit issued for the march listed an estimate 10,000 attendees, organizers expect the actual numbers to be much smaller due to COVID-19. They're asking people not to travel to D.C. if they live in one of the 31 states that D.C. considers a hot spot.

That’s one reason there will be smaller protests across the country in more than 350 cities, including other protests in our region.

"Those are very diverse as well. Some of them are virtual ... one is a march from Ruth Bader Ginsburg's college dorm room to a state capitol; one is a caravan of golf carts," said O'Leary Carmona.

Organizers and police are aware of groups calling for counter protests.

As for COVID-19 precautions, organizers are requiring masks and social distancing and will provide hand sanitizer stations.

Road Closures for Women's March

Drivers could encounter delays around the march and may want to consider alternate routes. D.C. officials are also reminding drivers in the area to be careful due to increased pedestrian traffic.

The following streets will be closed to drivers from about 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.: 

• 14th Street NW from Constitution Avenue to F Street NW
• 13th Street NW from Pennsylvania Avenue to F Street NW
• E Street NW from 14th Street to 12th Street NW
• Pennsylvania Avenue NW from 15th Street and 12th Street NW

Drivers should expect intermittent closures in the following areas from about 12 p.m. to 3 p.m.:

• Pennsylvania Avenue NW from 12th Street and 3rd Street NW
• Constitution Avenue NW from 3rd Street to 2nd Street NE
• Louisiana Avenue NW from Constitution Avenue to C Street NW
• 1st Street SE from Constitution Avenue to Independence Avenue SW
• 3rd Street NW from C Street to Independence Avenue SW
• 4th Street NW from Pennsylvania Avenue to Independence Avenue SW
• 6th Street NW from E Street to Constitution Avenue NW 
• 7th Street NW from E Street to Constitution Avenue NW
• 9th Street NW from E Street to Constitution Avenue NW
• 10th Street NW from E Street to Constitution Avenue NW
• 11th Street NW from E Street to Pennsylvania Avenue NW
• 12th Street NW from E Street to Constitution Avenue NW

The public should also expect parking restrictions and should be guided by "no parking" signage. Any vehicles parked in violation of the signage will be ticketed and towed.

The following streets will be posted as "Emergency - No Parking" from about 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.:

• 14th Street NW from Pennsylvania Avenue to F Street NW
• 13th Street NW from Pennsylvania Avenue to F Street NW
• Pennsylvania Avenue NW from 15th Street and 3rd Street NW
• Constitution Avenue NW from 3rd Street to Louisiana Avenue NW
• E Street NW from 14th Street to 12th Street NW
• 3rd Street NW from C Street to Independence Avenue SW
• 4th Street NW from Pennsylvania Avenue to Independence Avenue SW
• 6th Street NW from Pennsylvania Avenue to Constitution Avenue NW 
• 7th Street NW from Pennsylvania Avenue to Independence Avenue SW

All street closures and listed times are subject to change, D.C. officials said.