Million Women March

The Million Women March, planned to take place on January 21, 2017, the day after inauguration day, will still take place.  It is unfortunate (to say the least) that the march cannot convene at the Lincoln Memorial.  All through modern history, this has been an important gathering point for protests and the exercise of our first amendment rights.

The latest information that I am able to find is from The Guardian.  The Guardian is a well respected news source, with a long established history (since 1821), based in the U.K.  It has an online presence for U.S. news.
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2016/dec/08/womens-march-on-washington-lincoln-memorial

On 12/8/16, in an article titled "Women's March on Washington won't have access to Lincoln Memorial", it is noted that "the National Park Service, on behalf of the Presidential Inauguration Committee, filed documents securing large swaths of the national mall and Pennsylvania Avenue, the Washington Monument and the Lincoln Memorial for the inauguration festivities (which as you will note further on in tis post is a flat out contradiction to what a spokes person for the NPS is quoted as saying). None of these spots will be open for protesters."  The article goes on to point out the following key points:

    - Mara Verheyden-Hilliard, a constitutional rights litigator and the executive director of the Partnership for Civil Justice Fund has in the past led court battles for protest access on inauguration day itself. Ms. Verheyden-Hilliard is quoted as saying at a recent press conference held by the ANSWER [Act Now to Stop War and End Racism] Coalition "banning access to public land for protesters days after the inauguration is “extremely unique”".   She went on to note that "“It hasn’t come up in any way previously, where you’ve had a groundswell of people trying to have access on the Saturday, January 21, and thousands of people want to come, and the government is saying we won’t give you a permit.  What they’ve done is take all of these spaces out of action, historic spaces for dissent.”"  I will note here that Ms. Verheyden-Hilliard and ANSWER are participating in the march, but are not the planners who are working closely with the NPS [National Park Service].

    - Mike Litterst of the NPS noted that it is "partly a practical issue. Inauguration bleachers and viewing stands started being erected on 1 November and it will take until 1 March to completely clear the major public spaces from all of the inauguration works.  They’re construction zones, effectively”".  Another writer's note here; I will be in D.C. to protest on inauguration day and to take part in the Million Women March on 1/21. I certainly hope I don't see anyone on the National Mall near these "construction zones".

- Per Cassady Fendlay, spokeswoman for the women’s march on Washington, "“The Lincoln Memorial is not possible.” She said march organizers were not associated with the Answer Coalition, and have “had no issues with the permitting process at all”. “We are in conversation with the police. We have secured another location”", but at present is declining to name where the march would now take place, but has said it would be nearby.

So, there you have it.  Whether this is a believable story from the NPS or not becomes irrelevant.  The march will occur, just not at what is the most visible venue in our country and perhaps the world.  I have no doubts, though, that the march will command nationwide and worldwide attention!