Supreme Court overturns Roe V. Wade

Long Beach residents will rally together tonight for women’s reproductive rights as the Supreme Court votes to overturn Roe v. Wade. 

LONG BEACH, CA – On Friday, June 24, the Supreme Court voted 5–3-1 to overturn Roe v. Wade outlawing the federal constitutional right to an abortion.

Roe v. Wade was a landmark legal decision issued on January 22, 1973 making abortion legal in the United States. It was a 7-2 decision in which the court held that a woman’s right to an abortion was implicit in the right to privacy protected by the 14th Amendment to the Constitution. 

The ruling does not come as a surprise for most following the leaked Supreme Court draft opinion posted by Politico in May that showed the majority would vote to overturn. Many feel the decision reverses decades of progress in women’s reproductive rights. 

In a press conference held on June 24, President Joe Biden addressed the nation with a message of disappointment toward the justices decision. In his statements he made it clear that he was against the decision but “no executive action can overturn it”; and that Americans will have a chance to vote on the matter in November.

Abortion laws will now be in the hands of the states and more than half are expected to make abortions illegal. Some have already enacted trigger laws which immediately enforced the ban. However, California lawmakers have already acted to protect abortion providers and patients and have vowed to continue to work to keep abortion legal in the state. 

On June 23, Assembly Bill 1666 was passed and aims to protect abortion providers and patients seeking abortion care in the state from civil action started in another state.

After the decision was announced California Governor Gavin Newson released the following message via Twitter: “The Supreme Court has stripped women of their liberty and let red states replace it with mandated birth. This is an attack on American freedom. CA, OR and WA are creating the West Coast offensive. A road map for other states to stand up for women. Time to fight like hell.”

Long Beach Mayor Robert Garcia released statements via social media. The first on Facebook simply read: “This is a dark and horrific moment for our country. To all the women in our community, I promise to fight for you with everything I have.”

The second on Twitter was a little more lengthy and read as follows: “Today the Supreme Court took the extreme step of overturning Roe and ending the constitutionally protected right to an abortion. The decision will have devastating consequences and recklessly endangers the basic autonomy, health and well-being of women across the country.”

Protests surrounding the decision quickly erupted early on June 24 in Washington, D.C. on the grounds of the U.S. Capitol following the announcement. In Long Beach, a “Bans Off Our Bodies” protest will be held tonight at 6 p.m. at the Governor George Duekmejian Courthouse located at 275 Magnolia.

Long Beach Resister Sisters and LB/OC Women Rising will host the rally at the courthouse steps  to gather, raise voices, and speak out against the ruling. A tentative list of speakers including State Senator Lena Gonzalez, Vice Mayor Rex Richardson, Councilwoman Suzie Price, Councilwoman Mary Zendejas, and Representative Alan Lowenthal.

More information on the event can be found at https://act.wewontgoback.com/event/bans-off-our-bodies-events/3732?source=map&akid=.

Protests are expected throughout the weekend. Our team will update this story with more information as it is made available.

By Alysia Burke