A reproductive rights march in Los Angeles today organized by the Women’s March Foundation in support of abortion rights drew hundreds of protesters as well as Vice President Kamala Harris and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass.
The march was planned in response to a decision by a federal judge in Texas that could overturn the FDA’s approval of the most common abortion drug in the United States.
Protesters oppose the recent Texas court ruling on mifepristone, as well as last year’s U.S. Supreme Court decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, allowing states to ban abortion, which was declared a constitutional right 50 years ago.
The march started in Pershing Square around noon and made its way to the steps of City Hall, where Harris addressed the crowds, in town for the event. Around 1:30 p.m., Harris and her husband, Douglas Emhoff, rallied the crowd to fight for women’s human rights.
“Around our country, so-called extremist leaders, who would dare to silence the voice of the people, a Supreme Court of the United States, the highest court in our country, which took away a constitutional right which had been recognized by the people. of America,” Harris said.
“We have seen attacks on the right to vote, attacks on the basic rights to love and marry the people you love, attacks on people’s ability to be themselves and be proud of who they are. are. And so this is a time that history will show requires each of us, based on our collective love for our country, to stand up and fight to protect our ideals. That’s what this moment is,” Harris said.
Mayor Bass urged the crowd saying, “First, they wanted to ban abortions. Now they want to ban drugs. What’s wrong with them?”
The Supreme Court suspended the Texas decision for a short time so that judges could review the case and either extend the stay or send it back to the lower court. Either way, the case may end up on its knees, as a Washington state judge has ordered the FDA to preserve access to mifepristone in 17 states where abortion remains legal.
In both cases, California has stockpiled an alternative drug, which will be available if the drug is taken off the market.