Protests break out in Orlando following decision to overturn Roe v. Wade
ORLANDO, Fla. - People in Orlando took to the streets on Monday in protest of the U.S. Supreme Court's reversal of Roe v Wade. People spoke, marched, and stayed out long into the night to have their voices heard. They even braved some heavy rain earlier in the day.
Their message of "My body, My choice" echoed down Orange Avenue as they made their way from The Beacham to City Hall. "It’s been devastating," said Savanah Houghon. "Basically the fact that the government doesn’t see me as more than an incubator. They don’t even consider me a whole human."
The rally began inside The Beacham where so many showed the venue couldn’t hold them all. Florida State Rep. Anna Eskamani, D-Orlando, organized the rally. "One and four American women have an abortion in this country and no one should be judged or shamed for that personal decision," said Eskamani.
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People listened to speeches and heard from panelists who say this is about more than abortion. They say the Supreme Court’s decision was an attack on women's rights. "I hope we can overturn these, I hate to say it, archaic laws. Women have the right for healthcare and healthcare is the ability to have an abortion," said TC Donaghue.
Then as the rain fell people walked out of the Beacham into the streets to march in support of their loved ones.
"I am a mother of several girls and just seeing how the Supreme Court took away our basic rights to choose for our bodies, I couldn’t sit home and wait for it to pass," said Virginia Gonzalez.
Through the chants, heated exchanges and expression of pure emotion people now find themselves wondering what is next in a post-Roe world. "I am also a gay woman, and we are next on the chopping board so it is very scary," said Gonzalez.
Some lawmakers are trying to delay Florida’s abortion law from being officially placed into practice but as of now, it will go into effect on July 1st. The law would ban abortions after 15 weeks except for certain end-of-life situations. Rape and incest would not be an exception.