Thousands of Pro-Choice Demonstrators Take to the Streets

The rallies and demonstrations, which took place Saturday, were in response to a leaked Supreme Court draft opinion that overturned Roe v. Wade.

May 14, 2022

An anti abortion demonstrator is removed by security — Image via Getty/Tasos Katopodis
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Thousands of protesters gathered this weekend in an effort to preserve U.S. abortion rights.

Dubbed “Bans Off Our Bodies,” the nationwide demonstrations kicked off Saturday in dozens of cities across the nation, including NYC, Los Angeles, Chicago, Austin, Pittsburgh, and Nashville. The pro-choice events were in response to a recently leaked Supreme Court draft opinion that could soon overturn Roe v. Wade—the decades-old landmark decision that established an individual’s right to an abortion.

The 98-page draft opinion was written by Justice Samuel Alito, one of six conservative justices sitting in the court. The document, obtained by Politico, states: “Roe was egregiously wrong from the start. Its reasoning was exceptionally weak, and the decision has had damaging consequences.”

Chief Justice John Roberts has since verified the draft opinion’s authenticity, leading many to believe the court may soon upend Roe v. Wade. However, Roberts emphasized that the document did not reflect the court’s final position. The justices are expected to issue a ruling in late June or early July.

“We’re coming together this weekend with a powerful message for those who wish to control our bodies and our futures: Keep your bans off our bodies,” Brianna Twofoot, Planned Parenthood’s national organizing director, told USA Today. “We now know the truth. The Supreme Court plans to soon overturn Roe v. Wade, and we will not stand by as they roll back our rights.”

The rallies were co-sponsored by various organizations, such as Planned Parenthood, Women’s March, Move On, UltraViolet, and MoveOn. The demonstrations came shortly after the Democrat-controlled Senate voted to block a bill that would codify Roe v. Wade into law. The final vote was 49-51, with Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) voting against the bill along with every GOP Senate member.

President Joe Biden addressed the outcome in a Wednesday statement.

“This failure to act comes at a time when women’s constitutional rights are under unprecedented attack – and it runs counter to the will of the majority of American people,” he said. “Republicans in Congress – not one of whom voted for this bill – have chosen to stand in the way of Americans’ rights to make the most personal decisions about their own bodies, families and lives.”