July 4 Protest In Framingham A Show Of 'Dissent' Over Abortion Decision

FRAMINGHAM, MA — While many will be celebrating freedom on Independence Day, a group of demonstrators will gather in Framingham to protest the U.S. Supreme Court's recent decision striking the constitutional right to abortion.

The "We Dissent" demonstration will be held Monday morning in front of the Framingham District Court building, 600 Concord St.

"Are you furious? Me, too. We need to lean on each other during this time; wear black and join us. Bring your indignance, your righteous anger, your rage. We demand our leaders speak up and fight back. We dissent," the demonstration's Facebook page said.

On June 24, the court in a 6 to 3 decision overruled the landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade decision. The ruling ended the constitutional right to abortion, leaving it up to states to if abortion should be legal.

States like Massachusetts have abortion codified in state law — but about half of U.S. states do not, leaving millions of people without access to the healthcare procedure. States like Wisconsin, Kentucky, Texas and Oklahoma have already outlawed abortion, and more than a dozen more could soon.

The Supreme Court has also handed down several other major decisions in recent weeks. In a Thursday decision, the court said the Environmental Protection Agency can't regulate greenhouse gas emissions from power plants. And a day before the abortion decision, the court struck down a New York law requiring a reason for needing a license to carry a concealed gun. That decision could affect states with gun licensing requirements, including Massachusetts.

The July 4 "We Dissent" rally in Framingham will begin at 9 a.m.