Los Angeles is hosting its own Women’s March today, January 20. Last year, hundreds of thousands of people participated in the Women’s Marches around the country, so we’ll likely be seeing big crowds today too. More than 28,000 people have RSVP’d on Facebook, indicating that they’re going to the event in LA today. So you’ll definitely want to arrive early to beat the crowds. The Women’s March in Los Angeles starts today — Saturday, January 20 — at 8:30 a.m. Pacific and lasts to 3 p.m. The event will kick off with a rally at 8:30 a.m. at Pershing Square Park in Downtown LA (5th & Hill). The march will then begin at 10 a.m. and will end at Grand Park/City Hall. At the time of publication, the Women’s March LA (WomensMarchLA.com) website was down, so we’ll provide as many details here as we can, so you can get all the information you need even while it’s not available. Here’s a map of where the event will kick off: Pershing Square, 532 S. Olive Street, Los Angeles, CA 90013, provided by the Women’s March LA:
And here is a map of the march’s route. The march itself will begin at 10 a.m. All food trucks and the Art Resistance Area will be in the City Lot at 1st and Broadway. All nonprofit booths will be in Grand Park, Block 2, between Grand and Hill Streets.
You can also view a map via Google Maps, including road closures in the area:
Prepare for street closures. So far, 18 street closures are expected, but more could be added, Daily News reported. The street closures include:
- Southbound at 4th Street and Grand Avenue
- Eastbound at 7th Street and Olive Street
- Eastbound at 7th Street and Hill Street
- Eastbound at 7th Street and Broadway
- Eastbound at 7th Street and Spring Street
- Northbound at 5th Street and Main Street
- Northbound at 3rd Street and Main Street
- Northbound at 1st Street and Main Street
- Westbound at Temple Street and Spring Street
- Westbound at Temple Street and Broadway
- Westbound at Temple Street and Hill Street
- Southbound at Grand Avenue and 1st Street
- Southbound at Grand Avenue and 2nd Street
- Southbound at Grand Avenue and GTK (General Thaddeus Kosciuszko) Way
- Southbound at Hope Street and GTK Way
- Southbound at Figueroa Street and 2nd Street* (one of two closures with the same number —17)
- Southbound at Grand Avenue and 6th Street* (second of two closures with the same number —17)
- Southbound at Beaudry Avenue and 4th Street
Getting to the event might take some extra time, so leave early. Tickets are not required for this event. You can use the LA Metro to get to the event, but the Women’s March webpage asks you to be aware that trains may be delayed and some stops may be closed due to congestion. You’ll want to leave early just in case this happens while you’re traveling to the event. Two Metro stops are near the march: The Pershing Square Metro Station at 5th & Hill, and the Civic Center/Grand Park Metro Station at 1st & Hill. To find your Metro route, visit: https://www.metro.net/.
Metrolink is offering extra trains on the Antelope Valley, San Bernardino, and Ventura County Lines to accommodate Women’s March passengers. Women’s March LA advises: “From Union Station, transfer to the Metro Red or Purple Line to Pershing Square. To avoid crowds at station ticket vending machines, purchase your $10 Weekend Day Pass on the Metrolink App to enjoy unlimited systemwide travel with free transfers to Metro rail. Please check Metrolink’s website for details and schedules.” The Women’s March doesn’t recommend driving downtown because of street closures, but there are many parking lots close to Pershing Square if you drive.
Wear comfortable clothes when you come, including walking shoes (you’ll be walking a lot!) You can also make and bring your own signs. However, following Los Angeles Municipal Code. The Women’s March advises: ” Los Angeles Municipal Code Section 55.07 makes it a misdemeanor to possess during a demonstration, rally, picket line or public assembly any length of lumber, wood, or wood lath unless it is one-fourth inch or less in thickness and two inches or less in width, or if not rectangular, not more than three-quarters inch in its thickest dimension.”
Featured speakers and supporters who will take the stage during the rally will include Scarlett Johansson, Chloe Bennet, Rowan Blanchard, Yvette Nicole Brown, Sophia Bush, Laverne Cox, Lea DeLaria, Tony Goldwyn, Paris Jackson, Megan Mullally, Olivia Munn, Nicole Richie, Catt Sadler, Adam Scott, Olivia Wilde, Larry Wilmore, and Alfre Woodard. Idina Menzel, Andra Day, Rachel Platten, Maxwell, and The Gay Men’s Chorus of Los Angeles with Melissa Etheridge are also set to perform. Other special guests include Mayor Eric Garcetti, GLAAD President Sarah Kate Ellis, Los Angeles LGBT Center CEO Lorri L. Jean, civil rights advocate Kimberlé Williams Crenshaw, Planned Parenthood Los Angeles President & CEO Sue Dunlap, Black Lives Matter’s Melina Abdullah, ACLU of Southern California Executive Director Hector Villagra, Supervisor Hilda L. Solis, and more.