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Demonstrators are taking to the streets in several US cities to uphold abortion rights - here in New York
Photo: YUKI IWAMURA / AFP
Numerous people have gathered in the US capital Washington and other cities in the country to demonstrate for abortion rights.
In Washington, several thousand people came together on Saturday afternoon (local time) on the National Mall promenade.
They then wanted to run to the country's Supreme Court.
Large marches also took place in other cities such as New York, Chicago, Los Angeles and Austin, Texas.
Hundreds of demonstrations were announced for Saturday across the country.
Several organizations had called for people to take to the streets.
There is no federal law in the United States that allows or prohibits abortion.
However, abortions are permitted at least until the fetus is viable – today around the 24th week.
The basis for this is the fundamental judgment »Roe v.
Wade« of the Supreme Court, of 1973. In early May, the magazine »Politico« published a draft of the Supreme Court's reasoning.
He shows that the US Supreme Court is about to overturn this liberal abortion law in the US.
About half of US states could soon severely limit or abolish abortion rights
Because there is no federal law on the subject, states would subsequently have a free hand to ban abortion or drastically restrict access to abortion.
Around half of the 50 states governed by right-wing Republicans are likely to go this route.
Women living there would then have to travel to other states for an abortion, if they are able to do so.
Anti-abortion opponents have been working for decades to have Roe v.
Wade«.
Former US attorney Linda Coffee, who won the landmark judgment on abortion rights in groundbreaking proceedings almost 50 years ago, warned in an interview with the AFP news agency of the consequences of lifting the »Roe v.
Wade' judgment by the Supreme Court.
Pregnant women who want to have an abortion could face major difficulties in the future, Coffee said.
"It will cost a lot more for people who don't have good health care or are poor." Only a minority wants to abolish the right to abortions, but they are "very vocal".
"I just don't think anyone has the right to make decisions about someone else's body."
A speaker in Washington heralded a "summer of anger."
"Abortion is health care" or "My body, my decision" was written, for example, on the demonstrators' signs.
'It was a slow process of disappointment.
Gradually we got used to the idea that we could lose our rights," said protester Leslie, who is from the capital area.
She couldn't imagine going back to a time when abortion was illegal and dangerous again.
"I just don't think anyone has the right to make decisions about someone else's body," said 20-year-old Hanna Williamson, who traveled from Suffolk, Virginia, to the Washington demonstration, a three-hour drive away.
"I fight for everyone's rights on this issue."
In the Brooklyn borough of New York, about 3,000 people gathered behind a pink banner that read 'Our Bodies.
Our future.
Our abortions.
Among the demonstrators there were Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, New York City Mayor Eric Adams and other influential Democrats.
Recent polls by CNN , CBS News and polling firm YouGov show that about two-thirds of people in the US want to keep the nearly 50-year-old abortion law landmark.
jso/dpa/AFP
