Area residents among those attending inauguration, women's march

The inauguration of Donald J. Trump drew cheers and jeers in Washington, D.C.

Thousands of Americans from all walks of life, including some from Southeast Missouri, descended on the capital.

Jackson resident Scott R. Clark and his friend, Shane Galeski of Perryville, Missouri, attended the inauguration of the nation's 45th president Friday. They were among those who had seats for the outdoor ceremony in front of the Capitol.

Galeski said, "It is history in the making. I wanted to be a part of it."

Both men said the event did not disappoint.

Scott Clark, left, of Jackson and Shane Galeski of Perryville, Missouri, attend Friday's presidential inauguration of Donald Trump in Washington.Submitted photo by Scott Clark

"The crowd was very excited," Clark said.

About 250,000 free tickets were issued for seats and standing room.

Kevin Colyott of Jackson was among the thousands of people who had standing-room tickets, far from the podium.

"We had to watch it on the Jumbotron," he said.

Colyott said the area was packed.

Kevin Colyott and his fiancee, Deborah Griffin, both of Jackson, pose for a photo at the presidential inauguration of Donald Trump on Friday in Washington.Submitted photo by Kevin Colyott

"People were just squeezed in like sardines," he said.

Still, Colyott, who arrived at his designated standing area 2 1/2 hours before the start of the ceremony, said he enjoyed being there.

"It was incredible," he said. "There was excitement in the air. The city was buzzing."

As he and others celebrated the occasion, a group of Southeast Missouri women were preparing Friday for a long bus ride to join tens of thousands of other women in the Women's March on Washington. The march was held Saturday.

Diana Rogers-Adkinson of Cape Girardeau estimated as many as 100 women from Southeast Missouri would be participating in the March.

Protestors get ready to travel to Washington D.C. to participate in the Women's March on Saturday as they get ready to leave Friday, Jan. 20, 2017 in the Scully Building parking lot at Southeast Missouri State University in Cape Girardeau.Andrew J. Whitaker

Fifty-five participants, including some women who drove down from St. Louis, boarded a chartered bus at Southeast Missouri State University on Friday afternoon for the overnight trip to Washington. Others traveled by car.

Rogers-Adkinson said they planned to demonstrate in support of human rights.

"We believe women's rights are human rights," she said.

Women's rights include the right to an abortion and birth control, she said.

Marge VanPraag of Poplar Bluff, Missouri, made the bus trip.

She said the election of Trump spurred her to join the march. She described Trump as "anti-woman."

She dislikes the new president and his party's opposition to Planned Parenthood, an organization which provides reproductive health-care services.

"They are trying to defund Planned Parenthood," she said.

Poplar Bluff resident Angela White also made the trip.

White said Trump made vile remarks about women during the campaign.

White described herself as "pro-choice," She said she feels a need to speak out because "so many women have sacrificed so much."

Before boarding the bus, White said she was looking forward to the march.

"We are going to have fun," she said.

But the march wasn't on the mind of Trump supporters Friday.

Clark, a vocal fan of the new president, said he was impressed Trump ignored the rain while speaking to the crowd. No one held an umbrella over his head.

"He stood there just like one of us," said Clark, who with countless others brought ponchos to keep dry.

The crowd responded enthusiastically when Trump talked of giving "power back to the people," Clark said. "You could hear the roar."

Clark said he and others in the crowd were jolted by a loud sound during the inauguration.

"There was an explosion," he said, adding he and others initially were uncertain what happened. They looked up and saw images on a huge television screen of military cannons being fired in salute to the new president, Clark said.

Security was tight, with the crowd having to go through metal detectors.

Colyott said, "It was just incredibly difficult to move around the city."

He said he and his fiancee, Debbie Griffin, who lives in Jackson and works for 8th District U.S. Rep. Jason Smith, brought folding umbrellas with them, believing the prohibition on such items had been removed.

They found that was not the case. Colyott said their umbrellas were confiscated by security. They weren't alone.

After the ceremony, they returned to the area where their umbrellas had been confiscated. They saw thousands of umbrellas.

"They were all spread out on the ground." Colyott said, adding they managed to retrieve their umbrellas.

He said he was amazed by "the sheer number of people in one location."

He described the crowed as "boisterous" in support of Trump.

"It was a Trump crowd. It was almost like a huge sporting event," Colyott said.

Many in the crowd wore red hats bearing Trump's "Make America Great Again" slogan. Some wore Uncle Sam outfits.

"Some people painted their hands red," he recalled.

Colyott said he did not see protesters.

Clark and Galeski said they saw protesters near their hotel. Returning to the hotel after the ceremony, Clark said they saw evidence of earlier protests in which windows on some buildings had been smashed.

But none of the protests nor the rainy weather dampened their spirits.

Galeski said he and Clark saw the rain as appropriate for the occasion.

"We called it tears of joy from God," he said.

mbliss@semissourian.com

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