There’s going to be a huge demonstration on the anniversary of the Women’s March

Back on January 21 2017, the day after Donald Trump’s inauguration as US President, 100,000 people joined the Women’s March on London in celebration of women’s rights, human rights and equality.

Now, the organisers of the London march are calling on people to whack their best feminist slogan on a placard and mark the anniversary at a rally supporting the Time’s Up movement against sexual harassment. Time’s Up was founded at the beginning of 2018 by hundreds of women in the US entertainment industry. It follows on from the #MeToo movement and the Weinstein scandal, and calls for an end to entrenched sexual harassment in workplaces across all industries. 

The London rally will meet at Richmond Terrace, opposite Downing Street, at 11am on Sunday. Marchers will hear speakers and campaigners each arguing for ‘Time’s Up’ on the various issues they campaign for, including the underfunding of vital services supporting victims of harassment, racially-motivated violence, human trafficking, islamophobia, anti-semitism, transphobia, homophobia, the under-representation of marginalised groups in politics and in the media, the gender pay gap, austerity, benefit cuts and body shaming. 

Speakers will include, Dr Shola Mos-Shogbamimu, a lawyer and women’s rights campaigner; Phyll Opoku-Gyimah, the executive director of UK Black Pride; Sophie Walker, the leader of the Women’s Equality Party; Marchu Girma, the coordinator of Women for Refugee Women; and comedians Sajeela Kershi and Ava Vidal.

The rally will also support #Justice4Grenfell and #ClimateChangeisReal and Bloody Good Period will be collecting donations of sanitary towels for those unable to buy them. 

In a statement, Women’s March on London said: ‘We are coming together to pledge that we are going to make change in big and small ways. We will stand side by side, once again, in solidarity with our sisters, brothers and siblings around the world. Together we are strong and if we all work for a better world then time is really up for oppressors of women.’ 

The Time’s Up Rally will meet at Richmond Terrace, opposite Downing Street, on Sunday January 21 at 11am. Pussy hats optional. Find out more on the event’s Facebook page.

See last year’s Women’s March on London in pictures