May 3: Rally at Pasadena Courthouse in Support of Roe v. Wade

Following a bombshell report that a U.S. Supreme Court draft opinion appears likely to overturn Roe v. Wade this summer, grassroots organizers are calling for people to show up at federal buildings and courthouses across the country later Tuesday, May 3, in support of abortion rights.

By News Desk

Two rallies in support of Roe v Wade ate planned in our area so far. One rally will take place on Tuesday, May 3, 2022, at 5:00 pm in front of the Pasadena Courthouse.

A second rally, organized by the Women’s March Foundation and Planned Parenthood, titled “The Bans Off Our Bodies Abortion Rally,” will take place in Downtown Los Angeles at City Hall on Saturday, May 14th, at 10:00 am.

Background

On Monday, May 2, Politico published a draft decision in the Supreme Court case Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization. The released draft is authored by Justice Samuel Alito. It is labeled as a majority “Opinion of the Court” and “hold[s] that Roe and Casey must be overruled,” indicating that the ruling would roll back the legal right to abortion in the United States. The obtained document is a draft decision and not a final ruling. Authors of H.R. 3755, the Women’s Health Protection Act, would create a federal right for abortion providers to provide, and patients to receive, abortion services.

The U.S. Supreme Court released a statement on Tuesday confirming the authenticity of the draft. Chief Justice John Roberts condemned the breach and directed the court marshal to conduct a full investigation.

House Representatives. Judy Chu (D-CA), Lois Frankel (D-FL), Ayanna Pressley (D-MA) and Veronica Escobar (D-TX) released the following statement:

Last night’s reporting of a draft Supreme Court decision completely overturning Roe vs Wade is devastating and disturbing, but not surprising.

Anti-Choice extremists have been clear for decades that this was their ultimate goal: to undo the fundamental right to decide what to do with your own body. That is why we introduced H.R. 3755, the Women’s Health Protection Act, to ensure that everyone, in every state, has the right to access abortion services. Abortion care is health care and a fundamental human right, and we will not stop fighting to ensure that the right for people to make their own personal decisions is protected by federal law. While this is not a final decision, and abortion remains legal in the United States, it is a clear indicator of a future where your rights depend on your zip code, income level, and skin color.  Time is of the essence; we urge our colleagues in the Senate to abolish the filibuster and pass the Women’s Health Protection Act immediately.

Roe v. Wade was a landmark legal decision issued on January 22, 1973, in which the U.S. Supreme Court struck down a Texas statute banning abortion, effectively legalizing the procedure across the United States.