Hundreds of people came to downtown Rochester on Saturday for the 2nd weekend in a row, to rally in support of abortion rights. It was one of many rallies held around the U.S. in the wake of the recent leak of a draft opinion from the U.S. Supreme Court that would overturn Roe v. Wade.
A final ruling from the Supreme Court is expected in the coming weeks.
In Rochester, at Washington Square Park, a number of organizations were represented including Citizen Action of NY, Rochester N.O.W., Planned Parenthood, Metro Justice and many others.
Among the speakers was Stevie Vargas, Upstate Campaign Coordinator for Alliance for Quality Education.
“With the Supreme Court threatening to overturn Roe v. Wade, we are now in a fight for our very lives,” said Vargas. “What we’re at risk of losing isn’t access to an abortion–it’s access to a safe abortion. Our leaders in New York have made it clear they’ll protect our rights in this state, but we can’t let this right be violated anywhere in this country.”
Kendall Bell from the Rochester Labor Council, said that “This moment calls upon all of us who believe in the right to choose, who believe in equity, who believe in justice, to take action. We cannot sit back comfortably while people who can get pregnant lose the right to access abortion and other forms of birth control and reproductive care.”
The rally at Washington Square Park was followed by a march to the Liberty Pole.
