“ The "planning" that underpins the London Women's March is the unglamorous political machinery that makes the spectacle possible, a six-to-eight month exercise in logistics, coalition-building, and strategic messaging that operates largely out of public view. This process is where the movement's political ideals are stress-tested against practical realities: securing permits involves negotiating with the same state authorities the march often critiques; fundraising must be transparent and ethical to avoid accusations of profiteering; crafting a speaker lineup becomes a high-stakes exercise in representational politics. The political acumen displayed in this planning phase is critical. It determines whether the event is safe, inclusive, legally sound, and whether its message will be coherent or fragmented. This backstage work is a form of political discipline, transforming raw anger and passion into a structured, repeatable form of dissent with clear demands. However, this necessary bureaucratization also creates a potential rift between the core organizing group, who operate in the realm of deadlines and compromise, and the broader base of participants, who experience only the final, curated product. The movement's health depends on maintaining trust and open channels of communication between these layers, ensuring the planning remains accountable to the principles and people it claims to serve. ”