Hundreds of people rally in Jacksonville as part of nationwide women's marches

Following in the footsteps of protesters in Washington, D.C., hundreds of people turned out in downtown Jacksonville on Saturday to take part in a women’s march.

The march started at the Jacksonville Landing around 1:30 p.m. and ended up at the Duval County Courthouse. Crowds trickled out after some two hours.

Organizers said the goal of the rally was to protect not only women’s rights, but also to ensure economic equality, rights for people of color and LGBTQ rights under the Republican administration of newly inaugurated President Donald Trump.

According to a Facebook comment on the group’s page, they were expecting dozens, but crowds in the hundreds showed up.

“This is a great opportunity to just be a part of all of this, this energy,” Tom Balestrieri said.

Balestrieri served 22 years in the Navy. He said he fought overseas in Baghdad, but now he’s fighting for something much bigger.

“We tried to make a difference there, to win the hearts and minds of the Iraqi people. Here we are trying to win the hearts of the American people, to remind them exactly just how important it is that we all have equal rights,” Balestrieri said.

Balestrieri said his son is gay, and being a part of the march was very personal for him.

Some protesters told Action News Jax that the rally goes beyond political parties.

Kinsey Crook brought her two young children and said she wants to set a good example for future generations.

“Having them here and seeing this, even if they don’t quite understand it yet, they will one day and they’ll remember it and I think it’s very important,” Crook said.

Cox Media Group