Protests held in Austin in wake of Supreme Court's decision
AUSTIN, Texas - Hundreds of thousands of people took to the streets across the United States Friday after the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade.
The ruling stripped away women’s constitutional protections for abortion, a fundamental and deeply personal change for Americans’ lives after nearly a half-century under Roe v. Wade. The court’s overturning of the landmark court ruling is likely to lead to abortion bans in roughly half the states.
In Austin, some protestors gathered at the Federal Courthouse Plaza, located at 501 W. Fifth Street, at 5 p.m. Friday. Others gathered around the same time in Republic Square, located at 422 Guadalupe Street.
Both groups marched toward the Texas State Capitol.
"I grew up in a time when I had control over my body. My nieces, my kiddos, they don't have control at this point," said Beverly Penn, demonstrator.
While one side is angry, the other is celebrating a victory.
"We're celebrating this is a historic day, one that the pro-life movement and Texas Right to Life have worked toward for a long time," said Rebecca Parma, senior legislative associate at Texas Right to Life.
Protesters are planning on taking to the streets throughout the weekend. On Saturday, protesters are planning on holding a ‘everything but the kitchen sink’ protest.
"It's the only way that we can make any change at all at this point," said Penn.
Protesters are encouraged to meet at the Texas State Capitol around 5 p.m. and to bring pots, pans, and anything else that can help ‘make some noise.’
"Let’s raise hell the day after this historic and devastating ruling that strips half of the U.S. population of their basic right to choose if or when to bear children. Their basic right to their own body and their own life," TX4Abortion said on Instagram.
On Sunday, Democratic gubernatorial candidate Beto O'Rourke will join organizations supporting abortion rights in a "statewide rally for reproductive freedom" on Sunday at 5 p.m. at Pan American Neighborhood Park, located at 2100 E. Third Street.