Over 1,000 Rally For Abortion In Madison After Supreme Court Leak

MADISON, WI — A crowd of more than 1,000 marched at the Capitol on Tuesday, taking to the streets of Madison in a show of support for abortion rights.

The protest came after Politico reported Monday that it had obtained a draft majority opinion of the U.S. Supreme Court striking down the landmark 1973 ruling of Roe v. Wade, which legalized abortion at the federal level.

Video of Tuesday’s demonstration posted on Twitter by CBS 58’s Emilee Fannon showed the large crowd chanting “my body, my choice,” and holding signs declaring “protect abortion rights” and “safe abortions save lives.” The event was organized by Madison Socialist Alternative, Young Democratic Socialists of America of the Univeristy of Madison at Wisconsin, and International Marxist Tendency of Madison.

“We will not back down,” said Tanya Atkinson, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin, in a Facebook post Tuesday. “Access to abortion is a fundamental right.”

An 1849 state statute criminalizes abortion as a felony in Wisconsin for anyone other than the mother, although six out of 10 Wisconsin residents believe abortion should be legal, according to the Wisconsin State Journal. If the Supreme Court does strike down Roe, a patchwork of state laws will determine where women can get an abortion.

“Criminalizing abortion in Wisconsin for 1.3 million women of reproductive age is not the future we want for ourselves, friends, families or communities,” Atkinson said on Facebook. “Everyone should have the freedom and power to control their own bodies and lives.”

Another protest is set for 3 p.m. Saturday at the Capitol. The court is expected to publish its final decision in the coming months.