On the 49th anniversary of Roe v. Wade, the Supreme Court decision that legalized the right to abortion in the U.S., supporters of those rights gathered in front of the high court Saturday in response to legal threats that could overturn the 1973 decision as early as this spring.
The rally, organized by , comes one day after abortion rights opponents held their annual March for Life in D.C.
In recent polling by Gallup, only about 30% of Americans are supportive of reversing Roe v. Wade.
Katea Stitt, an abortion rights activist, joined a small group of women at the U.S. Supreme Court steps this weekend. Their message to court justices was loud and clear.
鈥淚 would say to the Supreme Court, just hands off our bodies,鈥� Stitt said.
Merle Hoffman founded a clinic in New York in the early 1970s that offered abortion services聽 before the Roe v. Wade decision. She joined abortion rights supporters this weekend because, 鈥淭hey cannot take away a basic right [for] half the population.鈥�
But the court is reviewing a Mississippi case that could roll back the landmark decision. If that happens, fellow demonstrator, Gabriela Vieria, says she fears for other women.
鈥淢y friends or my younger cousins would have to have obstacles. It鈥檚 scary.鈥�
In Texas, a six-week ban, known as SB8, was recently passed that allows private citizens to sue abortion clinics, or anyone else supporting an abortion after fetal heartbeat is detected, which is about six weeks into most pregnancies.
Most notably in Texas and Mississippi, legal challenges to Roe v. Wade are taking place in courthouses and statehouses across the U.S., as opponents to abortion rights seek to add restrictions that could, effectively, remove access to abortions for millions of women.
More than 20 states already have laws on the books to ban or dramatically restrict abortion if Roe v. Wade is overturned.
Less than a month into the 2022 legislative sessions, battles over the future of abortion already are setting up around the U.S. Republican lawmakers are proposing new restrictions modeled after laws in Texas and Mississippi that present a direct challenge to the landmark Roe v. Wade decision, while some Democratic-led states are working to preserve or expand access.
In Virginia, House Delegate Nick Freitas has proposed a bill last week that would ban most abortions after 20 weeks.
On the campaign trail in September, newly inaugurated Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin said during a debate that he is opposed to abortions with the exception of cases involving rape, incest or where it is necessary to save a mother鈥檚 life. He also said that he wouldn鈥檛 have signed Texas鈥� law banning most abortions, but indicated he would support a 鈥減ain threshold bill.鈥�
In a statement released Saturday, President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris said the right established under Roe 鈥渋s under assault as never before鈥� and they said they were committed 鈥渢o ensuring that this country is not pushed backwards on women鈥檚 equality.鈥�
鈥淲e must ensure that our daughters and granddaughters have the same fundamental rights that their mothers and grandmothers fought for and won on this day, 49 years ago,鈥� they said.
The Associated Press, and 海角社区app’s Gigi Barnett and Jessica Kronzer contributed to this story.
