AUSTIN, United States: Thousands of people marched Saturday in an anti-abortion rally in Texas, demanding providers of the procedure “stay away” from the conservative US state.
“Pro-life” activists gathered outside the state Capitol in Austin, carrying signs with slogans reading “Abortion hurts women” and “Pray to end abortion.”
The abortion issue is a constant hot-button in American politics — and even more so in an election year.
The 2022 Supreme Court decision that ended the federal right to the procedure was a huge win for the anti-abortion movement, although Democrats have been able to heavily promote access to abortion since then.
Many states tightened their laws in response to the ruling, but the anti-abortion movement suffered setbacks when the issue was put on a ballot that Americans could directly vote on, even in conservative seats.
“We say to the baby killers: stay out of our free state of Texas. Amen,” Haywood Robinson, director of medical affairs for the anti-abortion group 40 Days for Life, told the crowd.
As of 2022, 21 US states have restricted or banned abortion. In Texas, a state “trigger” ban went into effect immediately after Roe v. Wade was overturned, banning abortion even in cases of rape or incest.
Democratic President Joe Biden and candidate Kamala Harris rallied for abortion rights ahead of this year’s presidential election and warned of further restrictions under a Republican administration.
Republican front-runner Donald Trump, meanwhile, reminded voters that he appointed three of the Supreme Court justices who overturned Roe v. Wade.
“We are doing everything we can here at the rally and back in our hometowns to support women who are experiencing unplanned pregnancies,” a board member of the Texas Alliance for Life, Claire Culwell, told media.
“We’re seeing what will happen if we pick the Democratic candidate… Personally I would say that probably everybody here is looking at the Republican candidates,” she said.
First Lady Jill Biden last week invited a woman who fled Texas for an emergency abortion to attend the March 7 State of the Union address.
Kate Cox was more than 20 weeks pregnant with a fetus with a rare genetic defect, full trisomy 18, which meant she was likely to die before birth or live for a few days at most.
Doctors said not terminating the pregnancy could cause Cox’s uterus to rupture, putting her future fertility and her life at risk.
She sued the state last year over Texas’ strict abortion laws. The judge ruled in favor, but the Attorney General appealed.
With the clock ticking, Cox left Texas in December to seek an emergency abortion.
