The US prepares for the second day of mobilizations in favor of the right to abortion

Abortion rights supporters prepare to mobilize in USA on Saturday in the second day of protests against the Supreme Court ruling, as conservative states begin to ban abortions.

The country is experiencing a new polarization, between the states that are already denying, or preparing to do so, the right to abortion, in force for 50 years, and those that maintain it.

LOOK: End of the right to abortion in the United States: why is this a seismic day in the country’s history?

Dozens of new protests will take place this Saturday, following those already held on Friday, the vast majority of which were peaceful, although police fired tear gas at protesters in Phoenix, Arizona, and riot groups dispersed demonstrations in downtown Los Angeles.

Many fear that the Supreme Court, which since Donald Trump’s term has a clear conservative majority, may now set its sights on the right to same-sex marriage or contraception.

At least eight right-leaning states have already imposed abortion bans, and a similar number will do the same in coming weeks after the court struck down constitutional protections for the procedure, drawing criticism from some of abortion’s closest allies. United States around the world.

The Supreme Court overturned the landmark Roe v. Wade, which enshrined a woman’s right to abortion at the federal level in 1973, allowing each state to enact its own legislation on the matter.

President Joe Biden, who called this decision a “tragic mistake” stemming from “extremist ideology,” spoke again Saturday morning after signing a gun control law into law.

“I know how painful and devastating this decision is for many Americans,” he said at the White House. “My administration will focus on how it is administered and whether other laws are being violated.”

On Friday, Biden urged Congress to restore abortion protections as federal law, saying Roe will be “on the ballot” in the November midterm elections.

– “They have taken everything from us” –

Hundreds of people demonstrated in Washington on Friday night in front of the Supreme Court, which had been previously fenced off.

In Missouri, which as soon as the court’s decision was made to ban abortion in all cases, protesters gathered Friday night in St. Louis outside what had been the state’s last abortion clinic.

Pamela Lukehart, 68, held back tears as she recalled how things were before abortion became legal: “Back then women died having abortions,” she told AFP, her voice breaking.

“We were trying to protect women’s rights, women’s lives, and now everything has been taken from us,” she added.

Twenty states are expected to severely restrict or prohibit and criminalize abortions.

In those territories, women will have to continue their pregnancy, have a clandestine abortion, obtain abortion pills or travel to another state where it is still legal.

While the ruling represents a victory for the religious right, leaders of the largely Christian conservative movement said it does not go far enough and they will push for abortion to be banned nationwide.

Several states governed by Democrats, anticipating an influx of patients, have already taken steps to facilitate abortion and three of them (California, Oregon and Washington) published a common statement to defend access to these interventions.

Source: Elcomercio

Ronald Payne

I, Ronald Payne, am a journalist and author who dedicated his life to telling the stories that need to be said. I have over 7 years of experience as a reporter and editor, covering everything from politics to business to crime.