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Roe vs. Wade falls: Protesters stand against abortion bans after protection ends

WASHINGTON – The crowd outside of the barricaded US Supreme Court stood firm for hours. Protesters outraged by the lack of constitutional protections on abortion held marches and rallies in other parts of the country.

In Miami-Dade and Broward counties — where there were protests Friday in Wynwood and Fort Lauderdale — Democrats joined President Joe Biden’s repudiation.

“This decision must not be the final word,” Biden said.

A protester holds up a sign during a pro-choice protest on Friday in Wynwood. (Copyright 2022 by WPLG Local10.com - All rights reserved.)

Justice Samuel Alito wrote in the final opinion issued Friday that Roe and Planned Parenthood v. Casey, the 1992 decision, was wrong and had to be overturned.

Justices Clarence Thomas, Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh, and Amy Coney Barrett joined Alito. Chief Justice John Roberts didn’t join. Justices Stephen Breyer, Sonia Sotomayor, and Elena Kagan dissented.

Abortion-rights advocate Eleanor Wells, 34, wipes her tears during a protest in Los Angeles, Friday, June 24, 2022. (Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)

The decision comes just a day after the Supreme Court ruled to strike down a New York law requiring “a need” to get a license to carry. In the dissent, Breyer wrote, there have been “277 reported mass shootings — an average of more than one per day.”

It was just all too much for Michelle Isgut, 33, who was protesting with dozens of others in Wynwood including Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava and Nikki Fried, Florida’s 12th Commissioner of Agriculture and Consumer Services.

“For SCOTUS to issue a ruling on gun rights saying that they can’t leave to the states to regulate, but then to turn around like days, hours later and try to regulate my body like this — It’s unbelievable,” Isgut said.

An abortion-rights protester sheds tears following Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, federally protected right to abortion, in Washington, Friday, June 24, 2022. (AP Photo/Gemunu Amarasinghe) (Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)

Earlier this year, Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a 15-week ban. With the ruling, now a complete ban is on the table. State Sen. Lauren Book and U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Shultz, both Democrats, were at the protest with about 200 in Fort Lauderdale.

“You’ve got a Republican-appointed majority Supreme Court that tore women’s rights away and this is only the beginning,” Wasserman Schultz said

Democrats are hoping that the outrage will translate into votes this November, as voters turn to candidates who support abortion rights. Book and Fried are campaigning before the August primary.

RALLY

Dozens protest in Broward County

FORT LAUDERDALE - Democratic State Sen. Lauren Book and U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Shultz joined a group to protest the Supreme Court’s decision to do away with women’s constitutional protections for abortion on Friday in Fort Lauderdale. READ MORE >

MARCH

Dozens protest in Miami-Dade County

WYNWOOD - Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava joined a protest on Friday in Miami’s Wynwood neighborhood. It was her way of showing that she stands against the Supreme Court’s ruling that got rid of the constitutional protections. READ MORE >

FLORIDA

Florida already started rollout restrictions

MIAMI - Even before the Supreme Court decided to end 50 years of federal abortion rights, Florida was one of the states that had already started rolling out restrictions on abortion access before Friday’s ruling happened. READ MORE >

OPINIONS

A look at both sides of the debate

People on both sides of the abortion debate in South Florida had opinions on the Supreme Court’s landmark decision to overturn Roe v. Wade on Friday, which could essentially pave the way for individual states to ban the procedure. READ MORE >

PRIVATE SECTOR

Report: Disney to cover ‘pregnancy-related decisions’

The Walt Disney Company sent an internal message to employees on Friday, assuring them family planning and reproductive care would be covered, even if it involves travel, according to The Washington Post. READ MORE >


About the Authors
Ben Kennedy headshot

Ben Kennedy is an Emmy Award-winning Washington Bureau Chief for Local 10 News.

Roy Ramos headshot

Roy Ramos joined the Local 10 News team in 2018. Roy is a South Florida native who grew up in Florida City. He attended Christopher Columbus High School, Homestead Senior High School and graduated from St. Thomas University.

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