Emotion pours out on both sides outside Supreme Court
Waves of emotion poured out of hundreds of demonstrators outside the Supreme Court in reaction to its ruling striking down Roe v. Wade, eliminating recognition of a constitutional right to abortion.
A demonstrator with a megaphone led a group of pro-abortion rights protesters.
“Forced motherhood,” the leader called.
“Illegitimate,” protesters responded.
“This decision!”
“Illegitimate!”
A few yards away, a dozen anti-abortion demonstrators wearing red pieces of tape that said “Life” gathered in a prayer circle.
“We stand upon the shoulders of those who have gone before us,” said a man leading the prayer, choking up with emotion. “We honor them today, in agreement with the declaration: All the dreams are true.”
A speaker with another group of anti-abortion demonstrators said that college students were planning a dance party outside the court to celebrate the decision. She then led a group in three rounds of singing “Jesus Loves The Little Children.”
A heavy police presence observed all of the demonstrators, who were blocked from the Supreme Court’s steps by a non-scalable fence. There were no outbreaks of violence or tense confrontations in the immediate aftermath of the decision.
Some members of Congress ventured over from the Capitol to the scene at the court. As the decision broke, the House was conducting procedural votes on the bipartisan gun bill passed by the Senate Thursday evening.
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) was swarmed by reporters and pro-abortion rights protesters as she walked through the crowd.
“I am so happy. It’s a blessing. It’s a miracle,” Greene said. “And I think we have to worry about the radical left. They’re the ones — they’re going to perform an insurrection here at the Supreme Court.”
“You are a traitor,” someone in the crowd yelled at Greene.
Reps. Sarah Jacobs (D-Calif.) and David Cicilline (D-R.I.) appeared together outside the Court.
“This is a radical Supreme Court that has reversed 50 years of precedent that has said women have the right to made decisions about their own health care and their own bodies,” Cicilline said. “It’s time for the Senate to abolish the filibuster and pass the legislation we sent in to preserve the right of a woman to make decisions about her own health care.”
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