Taking To The Streets
Marches, calls to action planned for 50th anniversary of Roe v. Wade
Activists have organized rallies and marches across the country on Sunday to mark the 50th anniversary of the Supreme Court case Roe v. Wade.
The landmark case guaranteed a constitutional right to abortion, but was overturned by the conservative-led court last June. Protests and women's rights marches have since then urged Congress to enact legislative protections for abortion. More demonstrations are now scheduled for Sunday, given that it marks exactly 50 years to the day since Roe v. Wade was decided, on Jan. 22, 1973.
Organizers of the Women's March group told The New York Times that at least 200 individual protests are being planned in 46 states, and are expected to draw thousands of people.
"The fight at the federal level just has nowhere left to go," Rachel O'Leary Carmona, the executive director of Women's March, told the Times. "The theater of the battle has shifted from national protections, which are gutted. All of the fights for the years to come will be at the state level."
Activists are not the only ones fighting for change, as politicians are also making their voices heard.
"Today should've been the 50th Anniversary of Roe v. Wade," President Biden tweeted. "Instead, MAGA Republican officials are waging a war on women's right to make their own healthcare decisions."
"From the minute Roe was overturned last June, our Administration fought to protect access to abortion where we could," Biden added.
Vice President Kamala Harris is also slated to give a speech in Florida on the issue, where NBC News reported she will announce Biden's intention to sign a memorandum further protecting access to abortion medications.