(Adds comment from Trump, paragraph 5)
By Lacey Johnson and Ian Simpson
WASHINGTON, April 29 (Reuters) - A sea of protesters swarmed in front of the White House on Saturday to voice displeasure with President Donald Trump's stance on the environment and demand that he rethink plans to reverse the climate change policies backed by his predecessor.
The Peoples Climate March, the culmination of a string of Earth Week protests that began with last Saturday's March for Science, coincides with Trump's 100th day in office, the end of the traditional "honeymoon" period for a new president.
As temperatures rose above 90 degrees Fahrenheit under hazy skies in the nation's capital, tens of thousands of people marched from the grounds of the U.S. Capitol and passed the White House en route to the Washington Monument for a rally.
Many of the protesters carried signs with slogans such as "The seas are rising and so are we" and "Don't be a fossil fool." As the procession passed the Trump International Hotel on Pennsylvania Avenue, marchers booed and chanted "shame."
“Enjoy the day, enjoy the weather,” Trump, speaking to reporters ahead of a rally in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania commemorating his 100th day in office said when asked what he would tell those rallying on climate change.
While a good-natured mood prevailed and there were no signs of violence, many demonstrators said they were angered by the prospect of Trump carrying through on his vow to roll back protections put in place by his predecessor, Democrat Barack Obama.
"We're going to rise up and let them know that we're sick and tired of seeing our children die of asthma," said Rev. Leo Woodberry of Florence, South Carolina, who spoke during a press conference before the march. "We're sick and tired of seeing people with cancer because of coal ash ponds. We're sick and tired of seeing sea-level rise."
Trump's administration is considering withdrawing from the Paris Agreement, which more than 190 countries including the United States signed in hopes of curbing global warming. Trump has also proposed deep cuts for the Environmental Protection Agency and the elimination of many environmental regulations.
In his campaign, Trump called climate change a hoax. Last month he kept a promise to the coal industry by undoing climate-change rules put in place by Obama.
Tom McGettrick, 57, an electrical engineer who drove up from the Florida Keys to attend the march, said his main concern is the weakening of the EPA.
"Forty years of environmental protection has done wonders for the environment, especially in the Midwest," said McGettrick, who spent most of his life in Michigan.