Protests spread across the US after the Supreme Court overturns the constitutional right to abortion | CNN (2023)

Protests spread across the US after the Supreme Court overturns the constitutional right to abortion | CNN (1)

She was fed up with anti-abortion protesters, so she broadcast them on TikTok

06:25 - Source: CNN

CNN

Abortion rights activists across the country are sending a clear message after the overturn of Roe v. Wade: They’re not backing down.

From Minnesota to California to Florida, more than a dozen protests are planned Monday to denounce the Supreme Court’s decision to eliminate the nearly 50-year-old federal constitutional right to have an abortion.

The fallout was swift: At least 10 states have effectively banned abortion since Friday’s ruling. And 26 states have laws indicating they could outlaw or set extreme limits on abortions, according to the Guttmacher Institute, a research organization that supports abortion rights.

Activists on both sides of the debate rallied in jubilation or devastation.

"We're supposed to be Americans, and this isn't very American of us to strip us of our freedoms and treat us like second class citizens," said Amanda Conticello, of Jensen Beach, who joins about a couple hundred people in the "We Dissent" protest on the Roosevelt Bridge on Sunday, June 26, 2022, in Stuart. The United States Supreme Court reversed its landmark 1973 decision in Roe v. Wade, which established a constitutional right to abortion, on Friday, June 24, 2022, leaving responsibility for the procedure's legality to the states.Tcn Roe Protest 1 Crystal Vander Weit/TCPalm/USA Today Network gallery In pictures: Americans react after Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade

“Old men, stop telling me what to do with my body,” read one protester’s sign in Washington, DC.

“People’s bodies are more regulated than guns,” read another protester’s sign in Atlanta.

Outside the Supreme Court, an elated Valentina Aaron held up a sign with an image of a fetus. “Forceps off my body,” the sign read.

“It’s incredibly exciting,” Aaron said about the historic ruling. “If I was a baby in a womb, I would want someone to stand up for me.”

But nearby, abortion rights supporter Joseph Little held a sign saying, “Forced birth is enslavement.”

(Video) TikTok Users Are 'Doxxing' Supreme Court Justices After Overturning Roe v. Wade

“Making people give birth is enslavement,” Little told CNN. “When you tell people that they no longer have a voice in their own personal matters, that’s enslavement. It’s oppression. And the Bible clearly says that we need to correct oppression.”

WASHINGTON, DC - JUNE 26: Anti-Abortion protesters gather in the wake of the decision overturning Roe v. Wade outside the U.S. Supreme Court on June 26, 2022 in Washington, DC. The Supreme Court's decision in Dobbs v Jackson Women's Health overturned the landmark 50-year-old Roe v Wade case and erased a federal right to an abortion. (Photo by Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images) Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images Live updates: The latest on the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade

The demonstrations for and against the ruling have been largely peaceful, but a few arrests have been reported.

In Los Angeles, police intervened Saturday when protesters tried to march onto the US 101 freeway. Officers pushed protesters and struck at least one person with batons, video from the scene shows.

“Full House” actress Jodi Sweetin was pushed to the ground by an officer, video from the incident also shows. Sweetin got up and kept protesting, leading a chant of “No justice, no peace,” according to photojournalist and witness Michael Ade. Los Angeles police are aware of the video and the “force used will be evaluated against the LAPD’s policy and procedure,” the agency said in a statement.

In New York, at least 20 people were taken into custody with charges pending, police said.

In Greenville, South Carolina, at least six people were arrested at a rally Saturday, officials said. The rally included people protesting and supporting the Supreme Court ruling.

An abortion rights activist creates a handmade poster following the Supreme Court decision to overturn Roe v. Wade outside of the US Supreme Court in Washington, DC. Sarah Silbiger for CNN 'We are not surprised': Women of color say the courts have never served their communities

In Washington, DC, two people were arrested Saturday after they were accused of “throwing paint over the fence by the US Supreme Court,” US Capitol Police tweeted.

In Phoenix, about 1,200 people attended an abortion rights rally Saturday, the Arizona Department of Public Safety said. Four people were arrested late in the day after a fence around the House and Senate Plaza was torn down, the agency said.

In Lynchburg, Virginia, police are investigating the vandalism at a pregnancy center. The words, “If abortion ain’t safe you ain’t safe” were spray-painted near the entrance of the Blue Ridge Pregnancy Center, photos from police show. Security camera footage shows “four masked individuals committing the acts,” police said in a news release.

(Video) Roe v. Wade: Americans take to streets to protest for abortion rights • FRANCE 24 English

The facility did not immediately respond to CNN’s request for comment. On Friday, the center shared its support of the Supreme Court decision on Facebook, writing: “Rejoicing with an overwhelmed heart of gratitude for the life affirming decisions that were made today.”

States ban abortion as others move to protect access

The Supreme Court ruling allowed states to immediately begin setting their own abortion policy, leaving people across the country with varying levels of access.

Abortion rights demonstrators outside the US Supreme Court in Washington, D.C., US, on Friday, June 24, 2022. A deeply divided Supreme Court overturned the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision and wiped out the constitutional right to abortion, issuing a historic ruling likely to render the procedure largely illegal in half the country. Samuel Corum/Bloomberg/Getty Images How the Supreme Court decision on Roe v. Wade could affect the fertility industry

Some states now have outright bans on abortions, with varying exceptions or none at all. They include Alabama, Arkansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Missouri, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Utah and Wisconsin.

States with abortion bans that are expected to take effect in the coming days and weeks include Wyoming, Mississippi, Tennessee and Idaho.

In Arizona, abortion providers started canceling appointments immediately after Friday’s ruling. The state Senate Republican Caucus issued a memo demanding the state immediately enforce a pre-Roe law that bans most abortions unless the procedure is necessary to save the life of a mother.

Meanwhile, some Democratic governors are trying to protect access to abortion.

In Wisconsin, Gov. Tony Evers said he’d fight “with every power we have” after his Republican-controlled state legislature declined to repeal the state’s 1849 law banning abortion, which is taking effect again following the Supreme Court ruling.

Anti-abortion demonstrators and abortion rights supporters protest outside the U.S. Supreme Court the day after the United States Supreme Court ruled in the Dobbs v Women's Health Organization abortion case, overturning the landmark Roe v Wade abortion decision, in Washington, U.S., June 25, 2022. Elizabeth Frantz/Reuters America's chaotic new reality over abortion takes shape

In California, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a law Friday protecting non-California residents seeking reproductive health care in the state. It also protects anyone performing, assisting or receiving an abortion in the state from any potential civil action originating outside the state.

Gov. Tim Walz of Minnesota issued an executive order Saturday providing similar protections. “Our administration is doing everything we can to protect individuals’ right to make their own health care decisions,” Walz said in a statement.

(Video) Protesters Rally for Abortion Rights Across US

In Washington, Gov. Jay Inslee promised to create a “sanctuary state” for reproductive choice for people across the country via an upcoming executive order. The order will direct state police not to comply with extradition efforts from other states seeking to penalize those who travel to Washington to get an abortion. Inslee did not specify when the executive order will be issued or when it will take effect.

The post-Roe legal battles have started

Shortly after Utah banned most abortions, Planned Parenthood filed a lawsuit claiming the newly enacted law violates civil liberties guaranteed in the state’s constitution – including the right to determine family composition and equal protection.

In the lawsuit, Planned Parenthood said the law will have a disparate impact on women as opposed to men and violates the right to bodily integrity, involuntary servitude, as well as the right to privacy.

Adobe Stock Women: In the face of the Supreme Court's Roe v. Wade decision, tell us how you're doing

The suit names the governor and the attorney general among the defendants.

A judge on Monday evening granted a restraining order for 14 days, blocking the ban and allowing abortion services to resume.

Gov. Spencer Cox’s office did not immediately respond to CNN’s request Saturday for comment on the lawsuit nor the restraining order. Attorney General Sean Reyes’ office told CNN it had no comment on the lawsuit.

Under the ban, performing an abortion in Utah would be a second-degree felony in almost all cases, according to the lawsuit. Utah’s law allows for abortion if the mother’s health is in danger, there are uniformly diagnosable health conditions detected in the fetus or when the mother’s pregnancy is the result of rape or incest.

“When the Act took effect, PPAU (Plaintiff Planned Parenthood Association of Utah) and its staff were forced to immediately stop performing abortions in Utah beyond those few that are permitted by the Act,” the lawsuit reads. “If relief is granted in this case, PPAU’s health centers would resume providing abortions that would not qualify for any of the Act’s exceptions.”

After the restraining order was granted, the organization said the decision was a win but “only the first step in what will undoubtedly be a long and difficult fight. Planned Parenthood will always stand alongside our patients and providers – no matter what.”

CNN’s Raja Razek, Donie O’Sullivan, Aya Elamroussi, Jalen Beckford, Keith Allen, Gregory Krieg, Sonnet Swire, Hannah Sarisohn, Sharif Paget, Claudia Dominguez, Sara Smart, Kate Conerly and Andy Rose contributed to this report.

(Video) Roe v. Wade Latest: Sacramento protesters rally to expand abortion care

(Video) Protests spread, state abortion bans begin after US justices strike down Roe v. Wade • FRANCE 24

FAQs

What did the Supreme Court rule on abortion? ›

In Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization (2022), the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade (1973), which guaranteed a constitutional right to abortion. Some state constitutions, however, independently protect abortion rights.

Why did the Supreme Court overturn Roe? ›

Justice Alito's majority opinion not only sustained the Mississippi law but also said that Roe and Planned Parenthood v. Casey, the 1992 decision that affirmed Roe's core holding, should be overruled. The reasoning in Roe “was exceptionally weak, and the decision has had damaging consequences,” Justice Alito wrote.

What did the Supreme Court decide about abortion in June 2022? ›

Anti-abortion activists rally in front of the U.S. Supreme Court on June 6. In a historic and far-reaching decision, the U.S. Supreme Court officially reversed Roe v. Wade on Friday, declaring that the constitutional right to abortion, upheld for nearly a half century, no longer exists.

What happens if Roe vs Wade is overturned? ›

Roe being overturned will likely lead to more restricted abortion access across the U.S., as access is barred in 26 states and providers in other states struggle to meet demand with limited resources.

When did abortion become unconstitutional? ›

Roe v. Wade, 410 U.S. 113 (1973), was a landmark decision of the U.S. Supreme Court in which the Court ruled that the Constitution of the United States conferred the right to choose to have an abortion.
...
Roe v. Wade
ConcurrenceDouglas
ConcurrenceStewart
DissentWhite, joined by Rehnquist
DissentRehnquist
21 more rows

How is the Supreme Court altering its stance on abortion quizlet? ›

How is the Supreme Court altering its stance on abortion? The court accepted a limit on abortions even though it did not include an exception for the life of the mother. The landmark abortion decision on Roe v. Wade was based on an earlier decision ____________________________________________________.

What does Roe v. Wade mean for dummies? ›

Roe v. Wade was a 1973 landmark decision by the US Supreme Court that ruled that a state law that banned abortion was unconstitutional. The decision said that a woman's right to privacy extended to the fetus that she was carrying.

Which justices overturned Roe v Wade? ›

Justices Stephen Breyer, Sonia Sotomayor, and Elena Kagan issued a dissenting opinion to the Supreme Court's decision that strikes down Roe v. Wade.

Why was the Roe v. Wade court decision so important? ›

The Effect of Roe: Safe, Legal Abortion

The Supreme Court's ruling in Roe v. Wade on January 22, 1973, decriminalized abortion nationwide. It protected the right to access abortion legally all across the country, and freed many patients to access the care they needed when they needed it — without fear.

Did the U.S. Supreme Court end the Constitution right to abortion? ›

In a devastating decision that will reverberate for generations, the U.S. Supreme Court has abandoned its duty to protect fundamental rights and overturned Roe v. Wade, ruling there is no constitutional right to abortion.

How has the Supreme Court interpreted the Constitution in cases involving abortion quizlet? ›

The court decided that women had the RIGHT TO ABORTIONS IS INTERPRETED UNDER THE FOURTEENTH AMENDMENT WHICH INCLUDED THE RIGHT TO PRIVACY.

When was Roe v. Wade overturned? ›

2022 saw the overturning of Roe v. Wade, the historic Supreme Court decision that had guaranteed the right to abortion in the U.S. for nearly 50 years.

What amendment did Roe v. Wade violate? ›

The Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment protects against state action the right to privacy, and a woman's right to choose to have an abortion falls within that right to privacy. A state law that broadly prohibits abortion without respect to the stage of pregnancy or other interests violates that right.

Does Roe v. Wade go against the Constitution? ›

In practice, courts have upheld a range of restrictions that make abortion more difficult to access, especially for people of color, people living on low incomes, young people, immigrants, and others with limited resources. In 2022, the Court overturned Roe v. Wade and eliminated the constitutional right to abortion.

Can the overturn of Roe v. Wade be reversed? ›

On Friday, the Supreme Court determined that women do not have a Constitutional right to choose whether to terminate their pregnancies and overturned the 50-year precedent established in Roe v. Wade.

Is abortion protected by the 9th Amendment? ›

The Hyde Amendment, passed in 1976, prohibits government funding for abortions with exceptions for rape, incest, or danger to the woman's life (ACLU, 2004). The right to privacy implicit in the Ninth Amend- ment is alive and well in today's world and has an effect on every life in America.

What is overall impact of the Supreme Court's rulings on abortion quizlet? ›

What is overall impact of the Supreme Court's rulings on abortion? -Abortion is a social, moral, and family issue and is left to the the discretion of the states. -Abortion is prohibited except in cases of rape or incest. -Abortion may not be prohibited or regulated during the first two trimesters.

Which US Supreme Court case adopted the undue burden standard for abortion case quizlet? ›

Whole Woman's Health v. Hellerstedt (“Whole Woman's Health”) turned on whether the “undue burden” test requires courts to give meaningful review to laws that restrict abortion, instead of deferring to legislative claims.

Did the Supreme Court change the 14th Amendment? ›

One of the purposes of the Fourteenth Amendment was to provide federal protection of individual rights against the states. Early on, however, the Supreme Court foreclosed the Fourteenth Amendment Privileges or Immunities Clause as a source of robust individual rights against the states.

What was the vote breakdown in Roe vs Wade? ›

The court ruled 6-3 to uphold a Mississippi abortion ban being challenged in the case and 5-4 to overturn Roe. In the majority opinion, Justice Samuel Alito wrote that the court's decision in Roe “sparked a national controversy that has embittered our political culture for a half century.”

How does Roe v. Wade affect women's rights? ›

Overturning Roe v Wade allowed the divided individual states to independently decide the legal parameters regarding abortion care. A decision that disproportionately effects the reproductive lives of women residing on the land of America.

Who voted to overturn Roe v. Wade 2022? ›

While Republicans and Republican-leaning independents approve of the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, there is variation in the extent to which subgroups of Republicans – particularly by gender and age – approve of the decision. Among Republican women, 63% approve of the decision, while 36% disapprove.

Did the Supreme Court declare Roe v. Wade unconstitutional? ›

In Roe v. Wade, the Court ruled that a state law that banned abortions except to save the life of the mother was unconstitutional under the Fourteenth Amendment. The decision has proven to be one of the most controversial cases in the Court's history.

How many judges voted to overturn Roe v. Wade? ›

The high court's five conservative justices voted to uphold a Mississippi law banning nearly all abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy. In the majority ruling, Justice Samuel Alito wrote: "Roe was egregiously wrong from the start. Its reasoning was exceptionally weak, and the decision has had damaging consequences.

Why was Roe v. Wade a controversial case quizlet? ›

More specifically the case challenged the laws which forbid doctors from attempting abortions unless the mothers life was in danger. The laws previously instated laws incriminated and infuriated doctors who were in trouble under the law for performing abortions.

What are the positive effects of Roe v. Wade? ›

Further proof of Roe's impact is also evident in the huge economic strides women made over the last five decades. Between 1970 and 2020, the number of women in the workforce with bachelor's degrees quadrupled, women's labor force participation rate increased 30%, and the gender pay gap shrank by almost 40%.

What are the negative effects of Roe v. Wade? ›

In addition, pregnant people would face the risk of prosecution for seeking to end pregnancies in states where abortion is banned, and research has shown that unwanted pregnancies have many harmful long-term consequences for mothers, including a higher chance of financial hardship and a severe toll on mental health.

What is the constitutional amendment for abortion? ›

In Roe v. Wade (1973), the U.S. Supreme Court recognized abortion as a liberty right under the Fourteenth Amendment.

Why did Supreme Court end the abortion? ›

The justices held that the Roe v. Wade decision that allowed abortions performed before a fetus would be viable outside the womb - between 24 and 28 weeks of pregnancy - was wrongly decided because the U.S. Constitution makes no specific mention of abortion rights.

Where in the Constitution does it speak about abortion? ›

Americans enjoy certain fundamental liberties which are protected by the US Constitution. The right to abortion is not one of these freedoms. The Bill of Rights balances individual rights and majority rule by allowing the majority to pass legislation through its elected representatives.

What are some things that the Supreme Court considers when interpreting the meaning of the Constitution? ›

Introduction There are five sources that have guided interpretation of the Constitution: (1) the text and structure of the Constitution, (2) intentions of those who drafted, voted to propose, or voted to ratify the provision in question, (3) prior precedents (usually judicial), (4) the social, political, and economic ...

What did the Supreme Court decision say about the 14th Amendment? ›

Justice Arthur Goldberg (with Chief Justice Earl Warren and Justice William Brennan concurring) declared that the due process clause of the 14th Amendment protects liberties “so rooted in the traditions and conscience of our people as to be ranked as fundamental.” Among these liberties, they said, was the right of ...

Does the Supreme Court have the power to interpret the Constitution? ›

As the final arbiter of the law, the Court is charged with ensuring the American people the promise of equal justice under law and, thereby, also functions as guardian and interpreter of the Constitution.

Does Roe v. Wade violate the 9th Amendment? ›

In 1973, the court decided in Roe v. Wade that the constitutional right to privacy allowed for abortions, even though it was not explicitly listed. The idea comes from the 9th and 14th Amendments.

When was Roe v. Wade overturned 2022? ›

On Friday, June 24, 2022, the US Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, the landmark piece of legislation that made access to an abortion a federal right in the United States. The decision dismantled 50 years of legal protection and paved the way for individual states to curtail or outright ban abortion rights.

Was Roe vs Wade ever a federal law? ›

Roe v. Wade, legal case in which the U.S. Supreme Court on January 22, 1973, ruled (7–2) that unduly restrictive state regulation of abortion is unconstitutional.

What would likely happen if the Supreme Court overturned Roe v Wade quizlet? ›

If the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, b. the authority to regulate abortion would fall to the states.

What is the new abortion decision? ›

On June 24, 2022, the Supreme Court ruled in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization — a case involving a challenge to a. Mississippi ban on abortion at 15 weeks of pregnancy. The ruling overturned Roe — ending the federal constitutional right to abortion in the United States.

Why is the Supreme Court banning abortion? ›

In the Supreme Court's opinion, they stated that abortion is not protected under the federal Constitution because the word abortion does not appear in the text of the Constitution. The court also challenged the notion of “substantive due process” under the due process clause of the 14th Amendment.

What was the Roe vs Wade decision June 2022? ›

On Friday, June 24, 2022, the US Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, the landmark piece of legislation that made access to an abortion a federal right in the United States. The decision dismantled 50 years of legal protection and paved the way for individual states to curtail or outright ban abortion rights.

Can Congress ban abortion? ›

Pursuant to its powers under the Spending Clause, Congress could leverage federal funds to restrict or expand access to abortion, either directly or indirectly.

Which country legalized abortion first? ›

1935 – Iceland became the first Western country to legalize therapeutic abortion under limited circumstances. 1935 – Nazi Germany amended its eugenics law to promote abortion for women with hereditary disorders.

Who is responsible for the Roe vs Wade decision? ›

Justice Harry Blackmun delivered the opinion for the 7-2 majority of the Court.

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