Voices demanding change and equality echoed off of buildings surrounding the Capitol plaza in Des Moines on Saturday, as over 1,000 demonstrators gathered.

The event titled Des Moines Women’s March 2018 took place without issue — but with a caveat. There was no march.

Speakers said a permit for a march was not secured from the city. The protesters gathered and listened to music from Ruthless Ruth before two hours of speeches.

Among the many present were Iowa State students who drove from Ames to participate.

“It’s a message of how we’re all united,” said Sara Gonzalez, freshman in pre-biological/pre-medical illustration. “We can all still get together and spread this joy and happiness.”

Samantha Bias, freshman in design, made the trip with Gonzalez and several other Iowa State students.

“Our earth is something that needs to be protected,” Bias said. “Everyone deserves a right to live here freely and to express their opinions and voices.”

Much of the sentiment was directed at President Donald Trump, with many signs referring to his administration as sexist, racist, intolerant or stupid.

“I’ve seen smarter cabinets at IKEA,” one sign read.

Beyond criticism of Trump and his policies, speakers like Christine Nobiss, co-founder of Indigenous Iowa, addressed systemic inequality which protesters believe has existed long before the Trump administration.

Nobiss said she had to make a concerted effort to speak at the event, as before her, there were no speakers to represent indigenous communities. Nobiss noted women of indigenous communities are at a high risk of sexual violence, kidnapping and death.

Nobiss specifically mentioned the Meskwaki Nation as being the only First Nation still in Iowa.

“We can’t forget all of the other nations that thrived in this area of the world before they were murdered or removed for the farmland,” Nobiss said.

Nobiss referred to Trump as a white supremacist who is continuing a manifest destiny agenda. Trump has made repeated remarks about respecting President Andrew Jackson, who Nobiss referred to as “the Indian killer.”

Jackson was responsible for the “Indian Removal Act” which led to the Trail of Tears and the deaths of over 4,000 members of the Cherokee nation, according to the USDA.

The Indian Removal Act also effected the Chickasaw, Choctaw, Seminole and Creek nations. Nearly 100,000 indigenous people were forcibly removed from the Southeast United States for white settlement. Some estimates place the total death count near 25,000. 

West Des Moines City Council member Renee Hardman made a call to action. She told the crowd they cannot “sit around and pop popcorn.”

“Mobilize, organize and make a difference,” Hardman said.

Speakers included Chelsea Chism-Vargas, Dema Kazkaz, Robin White, Mazahir Salih, Rep. Liz Bennett, former congressional candidate Kim Weaver and Cecilia Martinez.

The speakers were from diverse cultural, racial and religious backgrounds. A prayer was held during the rally.

As speakers noted, many men were in attendance.

Alex Frendt, freshman in chemical engineering, held a sign which said “Boys will be boys,” however, the second mention of boys was crossed out and replaced with “good people.”

The sign was a commentary on the acceptance of sexist and violent behavior out of young men and the tendency to write it off as a sign of age. 

“I guess in the culture of society right now…we’re finding a lot of weird undercurrents of social practices and norms that everyone assumes ‘oh, this is just how it goes,’ but it’s really easy to change and it’s probably beneficial for everyone to change,” Frendt said.

A commonly stated belief from organizers and attendees was they will return every year until equality is felt by all members of society regardless of age, sex, race, immigration status, gender or sexual identity.

The Women’s March is now annual.

Editor’s Note: 

This article was edited to correct a typo and erroneously admitted title.