How organizers, agencies, and transit providers are prepping for an expected 500,000 people in D.C. This Saturday?s March for Our Lives protests to advocate for gun control at the nation?s capitol and at sibling marches across the country are drawing comparisons to last year?s inaugural Women?s March.
Both were quickly organized protests that became massive events?local officials estimate over 500,000 people may show up for the march?despite numerous logistical hurdles. The 2017 Women?s March set ridership records for many transit agencies, some of whom were overwhelmed by the number of first-time riders.
March for Our Lives will be a little different. Coming after two years of successful organizing by the leaders of the Women?s March, it?ll have something of a template to draw from when trying to solve the logistical challenge of organizing the march, which is set to go from the Federal Triangle to the Capitol Reflecting Pool near the Ulysses S. Grant Memorial. Like the Women?s March, this event will have an official app providing day-of information and transit recommendations. However, it?ll also have an added challenge?the large number of protestors and participants under the age of 18 creates additional hurdles to figuring out transit and overnight accommodations.
According to Brian Young, executive director of the Action Network, a progressive nonprofit that?s built some of the organizing tools used for the recent school walkouts and the upcoming march on D.C.,...