Hundreds in Pittsburgh protest abortion ruling

Chants of “My body, my choice,” “Stand up, fight back,” “Vote” and “Free, safe and legal” rang out through Downtown Pittsburgh Friday evening as several hundred people took to the streets to protest the Supreme Court’s reversal of Roe v. Wade.

The court’s 6-3 ruling puts the abortion issue back in the hands of states for the first time in nearly 50 years.

Those in attendance at the Pittsburgh demonstration, which began at the City-County Building, spanned several generations and included all races and sexes.

“The Supreme Court of the United States just said that I do not have the right to control my reproduction and make my own medical decisions,” said Jessie Ramey, founding director of the Women’s Institute at Chatham and one of about a dozen speakers at the protest.

“I know this is a surreal and agonizing moment for a lot of us, but make no mistake, this is a war on women and people with a uterus in a country where more of us, especially Black and brown people, die in childbirth than any other high-tech nation on the planet. This is a war on women in a country where getting basic health care bankrupts families every single day.”

The ruling came more than a month after a draft opinion by Justice Samuel Alito was leaked. It indicated the court was prepared to make its ruling, a move that puts the court at odds with a majority of Americans who favored preserving Roe, according to polls.

Many in the crowd held up signs that read “Abortion is health care,” “Abortion is life saving,” “I deserve a choice” and “We won’t go back.”

The sign made by Rebekah Weber of Pittsburgh’s West View neighborhood had one word, “Unacceptable.”

“It’s not a surprise, but it is gut-wrenching,” said Weber, 34. “The more bodies (protesting), the more we can show our power. It does feel that voting is not enough anymore. I’ve been voting since I turned 18 and it’s not doing anything.”

Her friend, Zach Harms, 31, joined Weber in the crowd. Harms said he wanted to come out in solidarity after being enraged by the news.

“I felt like I shouldn’t just sit at home and be angry,” Harms said. “I think this is definitely a good first step to get these politicians in Washington to even pay attention to what regular people need in the first place.”

Blair Mickles, a community organizer, served as the emcee of the protest prior to the march.

She said she was pleased with the turnout given the hurried nature of its organization.

“The decision just came out today, so to be able to gather this in less than 24 hours I think was pretty phenomenal,” Mickles said.

She was one of many encouraging attendees to get out and vote in November, and how people can make a difference through elections.

“I’m not sure of the message was fully received overall, but I think here today it was received,” Mickles said. “There’s nothing we can really do about the court’s decision. What we have to be able to do is elect those legislators in these positions, like the governorship and state legislators, to at least be able to protect our state.”

Morgan Overton, board member of Planned Parenthood of Western Pennsylvania and president of the Young Democrats of Allegheny County, also stressed the need to “vote every year twice a year.”

“Elections matter,” she said. “We may have gotten Donald Trump out of White House, but there are Trumps right in our own back yard here in Pennsylvania. They are feeling joy from our pain today.

“We must use the electoral process to elect effective pro-choice Democrats from the very top of the ticket down to the bottom here in Pennsylvania to protect our rights and secure the health and safety from our communities. We are just one election away from the consequences of today becoming our norm.”

Other groups that participated in the protest include Justice for Jim Rogers, Abortion Defense Committee, Women’s March Pittsburgh, Black Liberation Autonomus Collective and the Black Anarchist Community Council.

Friends Taryn Barrett, Aiden Hoffman and Sarah Livingston, all of Brentwood, had made signs before Friday in anticipation of the ruling. They stood outside the City County Building wearing pink face masks.

Barrett’s mask read “Keep your laws off my body.”

“It is so important to be here,” said Barrett. “I see people from different age demographics. We came to fight for women’s rights.”

Hoffman, whose face mask read “Abortion is a human right,” said he was there because he believes in intersectionality. It’s described by intersectionaljustice.org as the ways in which systems of inequality based on gender, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, class and other forms of discrimination intersect to create unique dynamics and effects. He said it’s important for people fighting for positive change to show up for each other.

Nearby, partners Selena Rose and Alice Kneller of Washington, Pa., said they came to make a call for action.

“My gut told me this was coming,” Kneller said. “This is just the beginning. If they take this right, they will try and take others.”

“We won’t stop talking about rights until someone stops taking them,” Rose said.

The protest turned into a march just before 7:30 p.m. and ended back at the City-County Building about an hour later.

Free safe and legal (abortions). #protest #Pittsburgh pic.twitter.com/TSVN5cHcX4

— Mike D. (@MikeJdiVittorio) June 24, 2022

City police kept a perimeter of at least a block ahead of the marchers and blocked off streets. Dozens of people on bicycles unofficially helped with traffic control, blocking several intersections and staying with the group as they made their way through the heart of Downtown.

Some folks on the sidewalks offered water and snacks to protesters.

Public Safety spokesperson Cara Cruz reported there were no incidents.

“All was peaceful,” Cruz said Friday night. “No issues to report.”