Protesters are set to descend on Washington, D.C., on Saturday ahead of President-elect Trump’s inauguration, an event that will lay bare how the resistance has changed in the eight years since he first took office.

Organizers of The People’s March, which is being put together by a diverse coalition of groups including the Women's March, expect roughly 50,000 attendees Saturday — a stark contrast to the 500,000 that marched on Washington in 2017.

Experts say the difference reflects a shift in strategy in how they oppose Trump, as well fatigue among some advocates. But the numbers also point to how things have changed on the grassroots level as Trump returns to the White House.

“A lot of things are different,” said Tamika Middleton, managing director of the Women’s March.

Middleton said the reaction to Trump’s second win feels different from 2017, with emotions ranging from outrage to grief and feelings of isolation.

“Our work as organizations this time around has been not to capture the energy of all these people who are being activated, but this time actually, our work has been to keep people from being demobilized, to keep people engaged and to give people something to hope for,” she said.

Protesters are set to gather at different kickoff locations in D.C. this weekend and will ultimately converge on the Lincoln Memorial in what organizers have described as a “day of joyful resistance, community building, and powerful action.” Other cities are planning similar demonstrations.

But Saturday’s march isn’t expected to have the same fervor that galvanized the........

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