Hours after a leak suggested that a majority of US Supreme Court justices were set to overturn a ruling legalizing abortion nationwide, hundreds of protesters gathered in Washington DC.
The crowd, calling on congressional Democrats to act, formed after Publication by Politico of a first draft opinion of the court that would overrule the landmark Roe v Wade case law.
The demonstrators denounced a possible decision which would take away what they consider to be a fundamental right.
“The first line of the draft is that this is a moral issue,” said Annie McDonnell, 19, a student at George Washington University, referring to the draft notice.
“If it’s a moral issue, you shouldn’t deprive us of our choice.”
“Judges come out of my vagina,” read a sign held aloft.
“I love someone who had an abortion,” reads another.
The crowd was interspersed with smaller numbers of anti-abortion activists, some with drums and guitars chanting, “Hey, hey. Ho, ho. Roe v. Wade gotta go.”
“Abortion is health,” chanted the supporters of the right to abortion. Chants of “Do something Democrats” also erupted.
Abortion has been one of the most contentious issues in American politics for nearly half a century.
A 2021 poll by the Pew Research Center found that 59% of American adults thought it should be legal in all or most cases, while 39% thought it should be illegal in most or all cases. .
Supreme Court watchers blasted the leak itself as a rare, if not unprecedented, occurrence.
The widely followed SCOTUSblog wrote on its Twitter account: “It is impossible to overstate the earthquake this will cause inside the court, in terms of destroying trust between judges and staff.”
Moira Flath, 22, said she was “horrified” when she received notification of the news around 9.15pm.
“I think part of me has to be cautiously optimistic, like seeing people here who are ready to get up at 10 p.m., 11 p.m. at night and that gives me hope for my generation, but it’s going to be a very tough battle. difficult,” said the University of Delaware student.
Her housemate Erin Sheehan, 21, said: “I think everyone should be able to fight for this and no one, especially no man, should tell us what we can or cannot do with our bodies.”
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