Many of the signs were handmade and carried messages such as: “Defeat Hate,” “Keep Abortions Safe and Legal,” and “Hate Never Made a Country Great.”

A woman walking nearby noticed the protesters and jumped up and down as she loudly cheered on the protesters. A man stood there with his arms outstretched, shouting, “Yes! Other groups of people stood along the protesters’ path, clapping and cheering.

The crowd grew larger as they walked through the park before concluding with a speech from State Senator Becca Rausch.

Suzanne Laba, of western Massachusetts, said she attended the rally to support Harris and all women in America.

“People are going to vote and, more importantly, choose kindness over hatred,” Laba said, holding up a sign that read: “This is the straw that breaks the camel’s back.”

Wearing a pink knitted hat with cat ears, known as a “pussy hat,” Rausch stood in front of protesters, desperately urging everyone to take action in the 72 hours before the election.

“We find strength and energy in community, and we are a community whether I know you or not,” Rausch said.

Rausch remembers the 2017 Women’s March after the election of former President Donald Trump. With worry in her voice, she said, “It was a different feeling last time. »

“If Donald Trump wins next week, even here in Massachusetts, we will not be safe from what could happen in Washington,” she said.

The Boston rally was one of several such marches that took place across the country on Saturday, with the largest taking place in Washington, DC.

Tracy Murphy, who organized the Boston march, said in an interview that she never thought Trump would be back on the electoral roll.

She organized the march with help from the national Women’s March organization when she realized there were no events in Boston.

After seeing about 400 people RSVP and more than 750 people attend Saturday’s march, Murphy said she is hopeful.

“It makes me very positive and I feel good about this election,” she said.

In her closing speech at State House, she said everyone present “did something they should be proud of.”

Larry Elardo, retired and living in Goveland, said the stakes in this election were simply too high not to take action, particularly in support of women’s rights.

“We have so much to do in this country to make it what it should be and I don’t believe Trump wants to get us there, but Harris does,” Elardo said.

Talia Lissauer can be contacted at [email protected]. Follow her on Instagram @_ttphotos.