Annual Pro-Life rally draws larger than usual crowd in Downtown Austin

Thousands of Texans came together in Downtown Austin for the “Texas Rally for Life.” They were commemorating the 44th anniversary of what organizers call the tragic Roe v. Wade Supreme Court decision which made abortion legal throughout all nine months of pregnancy. Organizers said they were expecting a couple thousand people for the rally which is the usual turnout in previous years, but this year many more came from across the state to show they are pro-life.
               
Some streets were closed in downtown for about an hour as the marchers made their way to the Capitol with an escort by the Austin Police Department. Then a rally took place on the steps of the Capitol where many pro-life speakers and leaders from across the state took to the podium. Jillian Ferguson was one of those and is the Southwest Coordinator for the “Students for Life for America,” “Millennials are the first pro-life generation majority since Roe v Wade first began plaguing this country in 1973,” she shared the same sentiment as others at the rally of wanting to abolish abortion, “It's no secret working to abolish abortion is not an easy mission and it can often be discouraging, long hours, heartbreaking stories, new enemies,  these are all part of the less than glamorous reality of pro-life work entails. But please know this and please be encouraged by this, we are winning,” she said.  State Representative Byron Cook also said winning their fight against abortion is closer than ever before, “The new administration in Washington may prove to be the most pro-life administration of our lifetime,” he said to cheering crowd.

The pro-life marchers were met with some opposition; about a dozen pro-choice advocates could be seen lining the sidewalks awaiting their arrival.  Claire Palmer is with “Austin Now,” “We are for abortion, abortion is healthcare, we are all here to say that if people in Austin don't, we don't stand for people promoting the restrictions of our rights,” she said.
 
Those who attended the rally said pro-life is about being created equal, and that equality, they said extends to the unborn. Katie Martin is a pro-life advocate, “Abolish abortion so that every human life is protected under the law.  The 14th amendment guarantees us equal protection under the law, and preborn children don't have that, they need that equal protection