The second annual March for Science was held on the National Mall in Washington Saturday and more than 200 similar events were held around the world.
Thousands of people attended the flagship event in Washington, but the turnout was notably smaller than last year.
Saturday’s march took place after a turbulent year in science policy under the Trump administration. Science-related changes from the White House have included the withdrawal of the U.S. from the global Paris Agreement on climate change and the president’s championing of coal-fired power plants. Washington is also seeking to roll back environmental regulations.
One of the demonstrators carried a sign that said “Make America Smart Again” — a play on the president’s campaign slogan of “Make America Great Again.”
“Science is what separates facts from fallacies, falsehoods and fanaticism,” David Titley, a retired rear admiral told the crowd in Washington. Titley who led the U.S. Navy’s task force on climate change said, “If we ignore and denigrate science we do so at our own peril.”