Chaos Hits the Steps of the Supreme Court as Shrieking Abortion Advocates Call to 'Shut it Down'
The grandeur of the U.S. Supreme Court’s columns served as a backdrop to raucous, screaming protests Monday night after a draft opinion was reportedly leaked that – if it becomes the final opinion of the court – would overturn the Roe v. Wade decision that legalized abortion.
Protesters angry that the lives of unborn children could be spared waved signs and screamed, only to find that they were confronted by a small knot of pro-life protesters, according to The Washington Post.
“When abortion rights are under attack, what do we do? Stand up, fight back!” abortion supporters called.
Pushing, shoving and minor scuffling took place until early Tuesday.
“Shut it down” being chanted outside the Supreme Court pic.twitter.com/fDMPFMndkh
— Greg Price (@greg_price11) May 3, 2022
Things are growing increasingly tense outside of the Supreme Court tonight. pic.twitter.com/od6OZkkz4o
— Zachary Petrizzo (@ZTPetrizzo) May 3, 2022
Pro-abortion protesters also let out a scream in front of the Supreme Court. pic.twitter.com/rgTJNRKZUL
— Julio Rosas (@Julio_Rosas11) May 3, 2022
Current scene outside SCOTUS pic.twitter.com/JpOzb4MCQs
— Greg Price (@greg_price11) May 3, 2022
As noted by Breitbart, some protesters called out “pack the courts.”
Packing the court is a tactic supported by many progressives.
It involves adding justices to the nine-member court that would be appointed while a Democrat is in power so that the court would have a permanent liberal majority.
In his first year in office, President Joe Biden established a commission to study the question of expanding the court.
In a report issued in December, the commission declined to take a stand, according to The New York Times.
13 states have so-called trigger laws that would automatically ban practically all abortions if SCOTUS overturns Roe.
They are: Arkansas, Idaho, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, and Wyoming.
— Jay O’Brien (@jayobtv) May 3, 2022
The draft also set wheels turning in many Republican-controlled states, such as South Dakota, where Gov. Kristi Noem said that if the draft ruling becomes the court’s official position, South Dakota will follow Missippi’s lead.
“If this report is true and Roe v. Wade is overturned, I will immediately call for a special session to save lives and guarantee that every unborn child has a right to life in South Dakota,” she tweeted.
If this report is true and Roe v. Wade is overturned, I will immediately call for a special session to save lives and guarantee that every unborn child has a right to life in South Dakota. https://t.co/oIiGibCP7B
— Governor Kristi Noem (@govkristinoem) May 3, 2022
Perhaps the calmest reaction of all came from Missippi, the state that passed the law before the court. The Mississippi law before the court bans abortion, with some exceptions, after 15 weeks of pregnancy.
Lynn Fitch, the state’s attorney general, said what matters is the final opinion that is issued.
“We will let the Supreme Court speak for itself and wait for the Court’s official opinion,” Fitch said in a brief statement, according to Fox News.
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