SUBSCRIBE TO OUR FREE NEWSLETTER
Daily news & progressive opinion—funded by the people, not the corporations—delivered straight to your inbox.
5
#000000
#FFFFFF
5
#000000
#FFFFFF
Abortion rights advocates, including Rep. Judy Chu (D-Calif.), are cleared from Constitution Ave. and First Street by police during a sit-in near the U.S. Supreme Court on June 30, 2022 in Washington, DC. (Photo: Katherine Frey/The Washington Post via Getty Images)
'We Will Fight! We Will Win!': Nearly 200 Abortion Rights Defenders Arrested in DC
"If people don't see the rage," said one woman at the protest, "nothing changes."
Jul 01, 2022
Nearly 200 abortion rights advocates were arrested in Washington, D.C. on Thursday as they railed against the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling last week that destroyed the protections afforded by the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision and demanded lawmakers act urgently to codify those rights into federal law.
Organized by the Center for Popular Democracy and Planned Parenthood Action, the demonstration that ended with civil disobedience in the streets featured prominent civil rights leaders like Rev. William Barber of the Poor People's Campaign and Congresswoman Judy Chu (D-Calif.).
"I'm not backing down, not now, not ever," Chu tweeted alongside a photo of her arrest.
"The decision to march today was easy," she said. "I came out to march for the young rape survivor, the woman who cannot afford to travel to another state to access critical care, the mother with an ectopic pregnancy whose life is in danger. I came out to march for all of us."
Capitol Police said they arrested 181 people for staging a sit-in at the intersection of First Street and Constitution Avenue, just outside the Russell Senate Office Building and not far from the steps of the U.S. Supreme Court.
"If people don't see the rage, nothing changes," said protest participant Katelyn Leonard, a 39-year-old public school teacher who spoke to the Washington Post.
Following her arrest and subsequent release, Chu sat down with two young protesters to ask why they had showed up. "It was an honor to be arrested alongside these young women who are fighting tirelessly to protect our right to abortion," said Chu.
One of the women she spoke with said she started participating in social justice work and reproductive rights advocacy when she was 15.
"I showed up today for those other 15-year-olds," she said, "who deserve to control their bodies and control their futures, and whose potential deserves to be protected today and not tomorrow. And I showed up for the people who've shown up before me, because this is an intergenerational movement and a real moment to keep fighting."
We are at a crossroads
This country and this world are at a monumental crossroads. US voters have an opportunity to beat back the forces of fascism and confront the billionaires who are rigging the economy, our media system, and our democracy, making it increasingly impossible for ordinary people to get by. We’re not just talking about the election. We’re talking about what must be done once these fascist elements are vanquished from power. We need a bolder set of solutions than what either major party has so far been willing to offer and a working-class movement ready to fight like hell for it. Trump didn't emerge from nowhere. The conditions that fueled MAGA authoritarianism were created by decades of radical neoliberal economic policies and a corrupt political system dominated by corporate interests. They slashed taxes on the super-rich, promising that the benefits would trickle down. They said giveaways to the corporate titans would make life more affordable for the rest of us. It was all bullshit. And when a bitter, betrayed populace searches for someone to blame, right-wing demagogues have little trouble finding scapegoats. People know when they're being lied to, but you won't hear any of this from the corporate media. Only independent journalism—powered and funded by people who believe in building a better world—can deliver truly trustworthy daily news. If you share our vision, please contribute whatever you can to sustain our work. |
Our work is licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0). Feel free to republish and share widely.
Nearly 200 abortion rights advocates were arrested in Washington, D.C. on Thursday as they railed against the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling last week that destroyed the protections afforded by the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision and demanded lawmakers act urgently to codify those rights into federal law.
Organized by the Center for Popular Democracy and Planned Parenthood Action, the demonstration that ended with civil disobedience in the streets featured prominent civil rights leaders like Rev. William Barber of the Poor People's Campaign and Congresswoman Judy Chu (D-Calif.).
"I'm not backing down, not now, not ever," Chu tweeted alongside a photo of her arrest.
"The decision to march today was easy," she said. "I came out to march for the young rape survivor, the woman who cannot afford to travel to another state to access critical care, the mother with an ectopic pregnancy whose life is in danger. I came out to march for all of us."
Capitol Police said they arrested 181 people for staging a sit-in at the intersection of First Street and Constitution Avenue, just outside the Russell Senate Office Building and not far from the steps of the U.S. Supreme Court.
"If people don't see the rage, nothing changes," said protest participant Katelyn Leonard, a 39-year-old public school teacher who spoke to the Washington Post.
Following her arrest and subsequent release, Chu sat down with two young protesters to ask why they had showed up. "It was an honor to be arrested alongside these young women who are fighting tirelessly to protect our right to abortion," said Chu.
One of the women she spoke with said she started participating in social justice work and reproductive rights advocacy when she was 15.
"I showed up today for those other 15-year-olds," she said, "who deserve to control their bodies and control their futures, and whose potential deserves to be protected today and not tomorrow. And I showed up for the people who've shown up before me, because this is an intergenerational movement and a real moment to keep fighting."
Nearly 200 abortion rights advocates were arrested in Washington, D.C. on Thursday as they railed against the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling last week that destroyed the protections afforded by the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision and demanded lawmakers act urgently to codify those rights into federal law.
Organized by the Center for Popular Democracy and Planned Parenthood Action, the demonstration that ended with civil disobedience in the streets featured prominent civil rights leaders like Rev. William Barber of the Poor People's Campaign and Congresswoman Judy Chu (D-Calif.).
"I'm not backing down, not now, not ever," Chu tweeted alongside a photo of her arrest.
"The decision to march today was easy," she said. "I came out to march for the young rape survivor, the woman who cannot afford to travel to another state to access critical care, the mother with an ectopic pregnancy whose life is in danger. I came out to march for all of us."
Capitol Police said they arrested 181 people for staging a sit-in at the intersection of First Street and Constitution Avenue, just outside the Russell Senate Office Building and not far from the steps of the U.S. Supreme Court.
"If people don't see the rage, nothing changes," said protest participant Katelyn Leonard, a 39-year-old public school teacher who spoke to the Washington Post.
Following her arrest and subsequent release, Chu sat down with two young protesters to ask why they had showed up. "It was an honor to be arrested alongside these young women who are fighting tirelessly to protect our right to abortion," said Chu.
One of the women she spoke with said she started participating in social justice work and reproductive rights advocacy when she was 15.
"I showed up today for those other 15-year-olds," she said, "who deserve to control their bodies and control their futures, and whose potential deserves to be protected today and not tomorrow. And I showed up for the people who've shown up before me, because this is an intergenerational movement and a real moment to keep fighting."
We've had enough. The 1% own and operate the corporate media. They are doing everything they can to defend the status quo, squash dissent and protect the wealthy and the powerful. The Common Dreams media model is different. We cover the news that matters to the 99%. Our mission? To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good. How? Nonprofit. Independent. Reader-supported. Free to read. Free to republish. Free to share. With no advertising. No paywalls. No selling of your data. Thousands of small donations fund our newsroom and allow us to continue publishing. Can you chip in? We can't do it without you. Thank you.
To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good.
News & Opinion
Trending
Common Dreams, Inc. Founded 1997. Registered 501(c3) Non-Profit
Privacy Policy