Thousands of protesters gathered in Washington and cities across the country on Saturday to demand continued access to abortion at a time when judges and conservative lawmakers have been imposing lots of new restrictions on the practice. The demonstrators, which was the first Women’s March of the Biden administration, focused particularly on protesting the Texas ban on most abortions.
In Washington, demonstrators headed to the Supreme Court, a month after justices declined to take action to block the Texas ban. The Supreme Court begins its new term Monday and there are widespread fears among activists that the justices could impose new restrictions on abortions. “No matter where you live, no matter where you are, this moment is dark—it is dark—but that’s why we’re here,” Alexis McGill Johnson, president of Planned Parenthood, told the crowd.
In all there were 660 demonstrations across the United States with hundreds gathering in Austin and cities across Texas. Organizers said that while the protests were not as massive as during the Trump era, the way demonstrations were held in so many cities and towns across the country shows widespread support for the movement. They also said the marches were an important reminder that just because former President Donald Trump is out of office doesn’t mean abortion rights are safe.
