Demonstrators march for reproductive rights in wake of abortion pill ruling
LOS ANGELES - A march for reproductive rights Saturday in Los Angeles organized by the Women's March Foundation to support abortion rights drew hundreds of protesters along with Vice President Kamala Harris and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass.
The march was planned in response to a ruling by a federal judge in Texas that could overturn the FDA's approval of the most common abortion drug in the United States.
The protesters oppose the recent Texas court decision on Mifepristone, as well as the U.S. Supreme Court's decision last year to overturn Roe v. Wade, allowing states to ban abortion, which was ruled to be a Constitutional right 50 years ago.
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The march began at Pershing Square around noon and wound its way to the steps of City Hall, where the crowd was addressed by Harris, in town for the event. Around 1:30 p.m., Harris and husband Douglas Emhoff rallied the crowd to fight for women's fundamental rights.
"Around our country, supposed so-called extremist leaders, who would dare to silence the voice of the people, a United States Supreme Court — the highest court in our land — that took a Constitutional right that had been recognized from the people of America," Harris said.
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"We have seen attacks on voting rights, attacks on fundamental rights to love and to marry the people that you love, attacks on the ability of people to be themselves and be proud of the people who they are. And so this is a moment that history will show required each of us based on our collective love of our country to stand up for and fight for to protect our ideals. That's what this moment is," Harris said.
Mayor Bass exhorted the crowd saying, "First, they wanted to ban abortions. Now, they want to ban medication. What is wrong with them?"
The Supreme Court has stayed the Texas ruling for a short period so the justices can review the matter and either extend the stay or send it back to the lower court. Either way, the case will likely end up back in their lap as there was a ruling by a Washington state judge that ordered the FDA to preserve access to Mifepristone in 17 states where abortion remains legal.
In any event, California has stockpiled a substitute drug, which will become available if the drug is taken off the market.