Monday, March 18

Protesters gather at Meyerhoff Park in support of abortion rights


Protesters gather at Meyerhoff Park on Friday. They chanted slogans and listened to speeches about the legality of abortion. (Shengfeng Chien/Daily Bruin)


This post was updated May 8 at 9:54 p.m.

Dozens of protesters assembled outside Kerckhoff Hall on Friday to support nationwide abortion rights.

On Monday, an anonymous whistleblower leaked a draft majority opinion from the United States Supreme Court that indicated the court may overturn a previous ruling on the Roe v. Wade case, which currently maintains a constitutional right to abortion.

More than 50 protesters assembled at Meyerhoff Park around noon to call for legal access to abortion. They held signs that read, “Legalize abortion once and for all,” “Women! Fight back!” and “Hands off my body.”

Members of Students For Socialism, an on-campus organization affiliated with the Party for Socialism and Liberation, organized the event and spoke to the gathered protesters. 

Ethan Stokes, a speaker at the event and a fourth-year psychology student, said restricting abortion access impacts multiple populations, including members of the LGBTQ+ community.

“Another choice has been taken away from you, and this is not just an issue for cis women, trans men, gender-nonconforming people, nonbinary folks,” Stokes said.

Protesters also chanted, “My body, my choice,” “Legalize abortion once and for all” and “Not the church, not the state. Women must decide their fate.”

Makayla Williams, a fourth-year English transfer student and protest attendee, said she came to the event to support people’s right to choose to get an abortion.

“It’s about autonomy, about having that right to do what you want with your body,” Williams said.

Oruganti was the 2021-2022 city and crime editor. He was also the 2020-2021 Enterprise editor and a News staff writer in the City & Crime and Science & Health beats 2020. He was also a fourth-year cognitive science student at UCLA.


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