Now that the fourth anniversary of the Women’s March is behind us, many (including this recent piece in the Hill) are discussing what the low turnout this past weekend means to the March and to the Resistance more broadly. So far, the Crowd Counting Consortium reports that less than 150,000 people participated in this most recent event, which is a far cry from the millions who marched in the first Women’s March in 2017 (note that they are still counting).
Although the relatively low turnout suggests that an annual day of protest will not consistently turn out a huge crowd, given that it took place during a month where we have seen numerous national protests take place, it does not mean that the American Resistance is dead. Rather, it means that the movement has redirected its focus on other tactics with specific goals in mind–such as impeachment and the fast approaching election in November 2020.
The American Resistance book tour has resumed after the winter break and I am doing events in Toronto, Maine, Cambridge/Boston, Des Mones, and Iowa City in February. See the book’s calendar of events for dates, times, and details!
Dana R Fisher 