Thousands of women took to the streets of Washington DC on Saturday to protest President-elect Donald Trump two days before his inauguration.

The People’s March – formerly known as the Women’s March – has been held every year since 2017.

The coalition organized the group with the aim of combating “Trumpism”, according to its website. Small anti-Trump protests were held in New York City and across the country in Seattle.

The meetings coincide with Trump’s visit to the nation’s capital for a series of events over the weekend in preparation for Monday’s inauguration.

Saturday’s People’s March on Washington DC drew fewer numbers than ever before.

The organizers were expecting 50,000 people. About 5,000 people arrived.

The protesters gathered in three parks before marching to the Lincoln Memorial for the rally.

The groups on the march are described on their website as having “combined identities” and “diverse interests” across issues such as climate change, migration and women’s rights.

Organizers said they wanted to meet with Trump “based on past experiences and strategies to deal with autocrats”.

A small group of Trump supporters were at the Washington Monument on Saturday. At the sight of men wearing red Make America Great Again hats, a leader of the People’s March with a megaphone approached shouting: “No Trump, no KKK.”

One of the men, Timothy Wallis, told the Associated Press that his friends had just bought Trump hats from a street vendor.

Mr Wallis, 58, of Pocatello, Idaho, said the People’s March protesters had “every right” to demonstrate, although he said he was disturbed by the violence.

“It’s sad where we are as a country,” he said.

The first iteration of the People’s March came together after Trump defeated Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton in 2016.

Women called for protests the day after Trump’s first inauguration and hundreds of thousands responded.

The march spread beyond the nation’s capital with millions of women across the US carrying signs mocking the Republican president and “pink hats” – a reference to the leaked tape in which Trump bragged about touching women’s private parts.

The Women’s March remained a major part of the so-called resistance to Trump’s demands in the years that followed.

But every march that has taken place has not been the same.

Trump, meanwhile, arrived in Washington DC later on Saturday to kick off his grand opening celebrations with a private fireworks display at his golf club in Virginia.

The women who gathered in Washington to join the People’s March told the BBC that they had different motivations.

One protester, Brooke, said she wanted to show that she had access to an abortion.

“I’m not really happy with the way our country has voted,” he said. “I am very sad that our country is leaning on a president who has already failed us and that we did not elect a woman.”

Another woman, Kayla, said it was a mix of emotions that brought her to the streets of the capital.

“Honestly, I’m just angry, sad, overwhelmed,” he said.

Susie came from the San Francisco area to show with her sister, Anne, who lives nearby. Both participated in the Women’s March after Trump’s first inauguration and returned in their “hats”.

Susie recalled the crowds in 2017. She said she hoped people would still take to the streets against Trump’s policies.

He said: “Now things have gone up a lot.” “Trump has been brave. He has a group of billionaires and a technology group on its knees.”

Anne said she realized the protesters were “out of touch” with most Americans. Trump won all seven swing states with the popular vote last November.

But he added: “We are still here, and we will refuse.”

Holly Honderich and Alex Lederman contributed to this story