Massive protests held in NYC after Supreme Court overturns Roe v Wade
NEW YORK -- Abortion rights supporters took to the streets of New York City on Friday, following the U.S. Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade and the fundamental right to abortion.
Over ten thousand people gathered in Washington Square Park on Friday evening as the decision sparked outrage across the country. Their fury was on full display in signs and chants.
"Roe has been the law my entire life and I never thought I'd be out here with my kids trying to preserve their rights. This is wrong," said Melissa Jacobs.
From Washington Square Park, they marched to Union Square -- a steady flow of abortion rights supporters who knew this day was coming because of a recent leak -- but it didn't soften the blow.
Nicole Adams, now 30, thankfully did not get pregnant from her rape, but the Supreme Court decision leaves her fearful for future victims.
"That's exactly what I'm crying for -- I can feel that pain. I can put myself in that place," she said.
Governor Kathy Hochul was at Union Square Park when the crowd started marching north on Park Ave.
"Because this is New York, New York is the birthplace of the women's rights movement. New York had the right to abortion since 1970. And as the first woman governor of the state, I had a responsibility to be here. I'm showing up just to tell the people gathered here and all across this nation that we will not rest. We will not stop our fight will not stop marching, and will not stop exercising our right to change the leaders in government who do not support a woman's right to have reproductive freedom," Hochul said.
Governor Hochul also said she spoke to her daughter, who is in her thirties.
"She and her generation are in shock. It's something that their own mothers can take for granted right? They have control over your body. Instead of having the government telling you that even in cases of rape or incest, or your own life is in danger, that you can't make a decision that affects you and only you. So this is a dark day for our nation. It is emotional, but I harness that emotion and I say to the people that stay. Don't ever bet against your will continue to fight.
Across the Tri-State area, there was swift reaction to the decision. Senator Chuck Schumer released a statement saying,
""Today is one of the darkest days our country has ever seen. Millions upon millions upon millions of American women are having their rights ripped away from them by five unelected justices on the extremist MAGA Supreme Court!"
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