WASHINGTON/AUSTIN, Texas--Women marched by the thousands on Saturday on the Supreme Court, the Texas Capitol and cities across the United States to protest increasing state restrictions on abortion and advocate for maintaining a constitutional right to the procedure.
The 660 demonstrations around the United States were largely sparked by a Texas law that bans abortions after about six weeks of pregnancy. The measure, which went into effect last month, is the most restrictive in the country.
“No matter where you live, no matter where you are, this moment is dark,” Alexis McGill Johnson, president of Planned Parenthood, told the crowd at the “Rally for Abortion Justice” in Washington.
In the Texas capital of Austin, hundreds gathered in sweltering heat to denounce the so-called "heartbeat" law signed by Governor Greg Abbott. It bans abortion after cardiac activity is detected in the embryo, usually around six weeks. That is before most women know they are pregnant and earlier than 85% to 90% of all abortions are carried out, experts say.
The law relies on ordinary citizens to enforce the ban, which makes no exceptions for rape or incest, rewarding them at least $10,000 if they successfully sue anyone who helped provide an illegal abortion.
Some of the demonstrators said the law would backfire on legislators. "I think more people believe in the issue of providing safe abortions than our legislature realizes," said Andrea Roberts, 49, an Austin preschool director.
