Abortion rally held in Atlanta on the 50th anniversary of Roe v. Wade

ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) - On the 50th anniversary of the landmark U.S. Supreme Court decision Roe v. Wade, an abortion rights rally was held in downtown Atlanta.

Officials tell Atlanta News First that the Party for Socialism and Liberation (PSL), alongside Georgia NAACP, URGE, and Atlanta DSA, held “an action at the east steps of the Capitol to demand the legalization of abortion once and for all.”

In June of 2022, the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, ending constitutional protections for abortion that had been in place for 49 years. That decision led to hundreds of protests all over the world and demonstrations to demand justice.

“The bodily autonomy of millions of women shouldn’t be at the whim of a few judges and politicians. They are actively obstructing what the majority of people want,” said PSL activist Natalie Villasana. “The only way to win back abortion rights is to build mass pressure outside of the political establishment.”

Many city and police officials in and around Atlanta are on edge after a protest turned violent and destructive on Saturday night in downtown Atlanta. Six people were arrested after hundreds of protesters took to the streets of Atlanta in response to Manuel Teran’s death who was shot at the future site of the Atlanta police training facility on Jan. 19.

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Officials say 22 states have already enacted full or partial abortion bans. some of those have been struck down in courts. On the other hand, 21 states have enshrined abortion rights into law.

“No matter which party is in power, the determination and pressure of the people can force politicians to concede to our demands,” said activist Addison Clapp. “Georgia’s elected officials can no longer ignore working-class people and must listen to our demands now!”

RELATED: A look at 50 years of U.S. Supreme Court abortion decisions

On Friday, a memorial on Capitol Avenue acknowledged more than 63 million abortions in the U.S. since 1973.

A one-mile silent march and rally followed the service.

In Washington D.C., marchers passed by the U.S. Capitol where the abortion rights debate is ongoing.

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